Wikipedia

Chuck Wepner

Charles Wepner(born February 26, 1939) is an American formerprofessional boxer.[2][3]He fell just nineteen secondsshort of a full fifteen rounds againstworld heavyweight championMuhammad Aliin a 1975 championship fight. Wepner also scored notable wins overRandy Neumannand former world heavyweight championErnie Terrell.He was also the last man to fight formerundisputedworld heavyweight championSonny Liston.

Chuck Wepner
Wepner in 2012
Born
Charles Wepner

(1939-02-26)February 26, 1939(age 85)
New York City, U.S.
Other namesThe Bayonne Bleeder
Statistics
Weight(s)Heavyweight
Height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)[1]
StanceOrthodox
Bo xing record
Total fights52
Wins36
Wins by KO17
Losses14
Draws2

Wepner's bo xing career, and fight with Ali, inspired the 1976 filmRocky,[4]and other life events were chronicled in the 2016 film,Chuck.He was also the subject of the 2019 filmThe Brawler.

Early life

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Charles Wepner was born on February 26, 1939, in New York City.[5]He is ofGerman,Ukrainian,andPolishdescent.[6]

Wepner learned to fight on the streets ofBayonne, New Jersey,[7]saying, "This was a tough town with a lot of people from the docks and the naval base and you had to fight to survive". Wepner was about a year old when he moved in with his grandmother on 28th Street near Hudson Boulevard (nowKennedy Boulevard). He was raised by his mother and grandparents, living in a room that was a converted coal shed until he was 13. He was an avid player of sports in his youth, playing basketball for the Police Athletic League. AtBayonne High School,his height helped him get a spot on the basketball team.[8]

At the age of 15, Wepner decided he would join theU.S. Marines,inspired by the movieBattle Cry.[9]In the Marines, he became a member of the bo xing team, developing a reputation for being able to withstand other boxers' punches, and becoming a military champion at one of the airbases. A 1975Sports Illustratedarticle said that Wepner had saved the lives of three Marine pilots, pulling them from blazing airplanes.[10]

Career

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Wepner turned professional in 1964 and became a popular boxer on the Northeast'sClub Bo xingcircuit, where he began posting many wins and some losses fighting throughout the region, including in arenas close to his boyhood home such asNorth BergenandSecaucus.[10]

Nicknamed "The Bayonne Bleeder" due to repeated facial injuries in the ring, he took the name that was initially meant as an insult and made it hisnom de guerre.In an interview with the BBC, Wepner said "I was a big bleeder. I had 328 stitches in my career. My nose was broken nine times in 16 years. And, uh, it never fazed me, you know?"[9]

He had formerly boxed while a member of theUnited States Marine Corps,and had worked as abouncerbefore turning pro.[11]He was the New Jersey state heavyweight bo xing champion, but after losing bouts toGeorge Foreman(by cut eye stoppage in three) andSonny Liston(by technical knockout in nine) many bo xing fans thought that his days as a contender were numbered. After the match with Liston, Wepner needed 72 stitches in his face.[12]After his retirement, Wepner stated that Liston was the hardest puncher he ever fought.[13]

However, after losing toJoe Bugnerby a cut eye stoppage in three in England, Wepner won nine of his next eleven bouts, including victories over Charlie Polite and former WBA heavyweight championErnie Terrell.

Muhammad Ali fight

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In 1975, it was announced that Wepner would challengeMuhammad Alifor the world heavyweight title. According to theCleveland Plain Dealer(February 9, 1975, Page 4-C), Carl Lombardo invested $1.3 million to finance the Wepner-Ali heavyweight title bout. According to aTimearticle, "In Stitches", Ali was guaranteed $1.5 million and Wepner signed for $100,000. This was considerably more than Wepner had ever earned; thus, he "needed no coa xing." Wepner spent eight weeks training in the Catskill Mountains under the guidance of Al Braverman (trainer and notedcutman) and Bill Prezant (manager).

Prezant prophesied that the match would be a big surprise. This bout was the first time Wepner had been able to train full-time; since 1970 his typical day had consisted of road work in the morning, followed by his job selling liquor during the day. Then he was able to spend his nights working out and sparring in Bayonne bo xing clubs.[14]The match was held on March 24 at theRichfield ColiseuminRichfield, Ohio,south ofCleveland.Before the match, a reporter asked Wepner if he thought he could survive in the ring with the champion, to which Wepner allegedly answered, "I've been a survivor my whole life... if I survived the Marines, I can survive Ali."[citation needed]

In the ninth round, Wepner scored a knockdown, which Ali said occurred because Wepner was stepping on his foot. Published photographs showed Wepner stepping on Ali's foot at the time of the knockdown. Wepner went to his corner and said to his manager Al Braverman, "Al, start the car. We're going to the bank. We are millionaires." To this, Wepner's manager replied: "You better turn around. He's getting up and he looks pissed off."[15]

In the remaining rounds, Ali decisively outboxed Wepner and opened up cuts above both of Wepner's eyes and broke his nose. Wepner was far behind on the scorecards when Ali knocked him down with 19 seconds left in the 15th round. The referee counted to seven before calling a technical knockout.[16]

After the Ali-Wepner bout,Sylvester Stallonewrote the script forRocky,which was released in theatres in 1976. Like Wepner, (Rocky) Balboa lasts 15 rounds, but unlike Wepner, he actually "goes the distance".[17]For years afterRockywas released, Stallone denied that Wepner provided inspiration for the movie, though he eventually admitted it.[18][19]

Late career

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In 1976, Wepner foughtprofessional wrestlerAndré the Giantand lost by countout after Andre threw him out of the ring.[20][21]

Wepner's last match was on May 2, 1978, for the New Jersey state heavyweight championship against a new rising prospect, Scott Frank, noted for using a heavy left hook.[22]Wepner lost the match in a 12-round decision, but again proved durable. He announced his retirement afterwards.[23]

Later life

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After his retirement from bo xing, Wepner began abusing drugs. In 1979, Sylvester Stallone wanted to cast Wepner as a sparring partner inRocky II,but he failed the audition due to his drug problems.[17]

In November 1985, Wepner was arrested on drug charges when he was found with four ounces ofcocainein an undercover police investigation. Under a plea-bargain agreement, he was sentenced in 1988 to ten years in prison.[24][25]He served 17 months inNorthern State Prison,Newark,New Jersey, then spent another 20 months in New Jersey's intensive supervision program.[26]

In 2003, Wepner sued Sylvester Stallone, seeking payment for his use as the inspiration forRockyand the film series. The lawsuit was settled with Stallone in 2006 for an undisclosed amount.[19][27]

As of 2010, Wepner had been working for 10 years with his third wife Linda in the liquor sales field for Majestic Wines and Spirits inCarlstadt, New Jersey,and was an expert in consumer liquors, wines and spirits.[28]

A film about Wepner's career was released in 2012,[29]and ESPN aired a documentary titledThe Real Rockyon October 25, 2011.[30]The ESPN film features a clip of Wepner's ninth round knockdown of Muhammad Ali in their 1975 world heavyweight title bout.[31][32]

Ring appearances

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Wepner occasionally makes ringside appearances at bo xing cards in his home state of New Jersey, signing autographs and posing for photos with bo xing fans. On October 12, 2012, Wepner appeared ringside with former World Light Heavyweight championMike RossmaninAtlantic City, New Jersey,at aTropicana Casino & Resort Atlantic Cityfight card featuring a WBA NABA Lightweight title bout in the main event. Wepner held the WBA NABA heavyweight title during his bo xing career.

Portrayals and inspirations

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Professional bo xing record

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52 fights 36 wins 14 losses
By knockout 17 9
By decision 19 5
Draws 2
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round(s), time Date Location Notes
52 Loss 36–14–2 Scott Frank UD 12 September 26, 1978 Ice World,Totowa,New Jersey, U.S. Lost USA New Jersey State heavyweight title
51 Win 36–13–2 Tom Healy TKO 5 (10),2:13 June 2, 1978 Old Armory,Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
50 Win 35–13–2 Johnny Blaine TKO 3 (10) April 7, 1978 Embassy Hall, North Bergen, New Jersey, U.S.
49 Loss 34–13–2 Horst Geisler TKO 10 (10),1:19 May 20, 1977 Broome County Arena,Binghamton,New York, U.S.
48 Loss 34–12–2 Mike Schutte PTS 10 February 19, 1977 Wembley Stadium,Johannesburg,South Africa
47 Loss 34–11–2 Duane Bobick TKO 6 (10),1:12 October 2, 1976 Utica College Sports Complex,Utica,New York, U.S.
46 Win 34–10–2 Tommy Sheehan TKO 2 (10),1:01 May 6, 1976 Kearny High School Gym,Kearny,New Jersey, U.S.
45 Win 33–10–2 Johnny Dolan KO 3 (10) November 29, 1975 National Guard Armory,Fort Lauderdale,Florida,U.S.
44 Win 32–10–2 Johnny Evans TKO 4 (10),0:59 November 13, 1975 Exposition Building,Portland,Maine,U.S.
43 Loss 31–10–2 Muhammad Ali TKO 15 (15),2:41 March 24, 1975 Richfield Coliseum,Richfield,OhioU.S. ForWBAandWBC heavyweight titles
42 Win 31–9–2 Terry Hinke TKO 11 (12),1:10 September 3, 1974 Salt Palace,Salt Lake City,Utah,U.S.
41 Win 30–9–2 Charley Polite TKO 4 (10) May 23, 1974 Embassy Hall, North Bergen, New Jersey, U.S.
40 Win 29–9–2 Randy Neumann TKO 6 (12) March 8, 1974 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Retained USA New Jersey State heavyweight title
39 Win 28–9–2 Billy Williams PTS 10 January 17, 1974 Embassy Hall, North Bergen, New Jersey, U.S.
38 Win 27–9–2 Ernie Terrell PTS 12 June 23, 1973 Convention Hall,Atlantic City,New Jersey, U.S. Won vacant National Americas heavyweight title
37 Win 26–9–2 Billy Marquart PTS 12 March 15, 1973 Embassy Hall, North Bergen, New Jersey, U.S. Retained USA New Jersey State heavyweight title
36 Win 25–9–2 John Clohessy PTS 10 December 7, 1972 Marist High School, Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.
35 Win 24–9–2 Randy Neumann PTS 12 April 15, 1972 Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. Won USA New Jersey State heavyweight title
34 Loss 23–9–2 Randy Neumann PTS 12 December 9, 1971 Embassy Hall, North Bergen, New Jersey, U.S. Lost USA New Jersey State heavyweight title
33 Win 23–8–2 Mike Boswell TKO 10 (10) October 14, 1971 Embassy Hall, North Bergen, New Jersey, U.S.
32 Win 22–8–2 Jesse Crown KO 4 (10) September 16, 1971 Embassy Hall,North Bergen,New Jersey, U.S.
31 Loss 21–8–2 Jerry Judge TKO 5 (8) January 6, 1971 Catholic Youth Center, Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
30 Loss 21–7–2 Joe Bugner RTD 3 (10),3:00 September 8, 1970 Empire Pool,London,England
29 Loss 21–6–2 Sonny Liston RTD 9 (10),3:00 June 29, 1970 Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
28 Win 21–5–2 Manuel Ramos UD 10 January 26, 1970 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
27 Win 20–5–2 Pedro Agosto UD 10 December 19, 1969 Felt Forum, New York City, New York, U.S.
26 Loss 19–5–2 George Foreman TKO 3 (8),0:54 August 18, 1969 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
25 Loss 19–4–2 José Roman PTS 10 June 22, 1969 Hiram Bithorn Stadium,San Juan,Puerto Rico,U.S.
24 Win 19–3–2 Mike Bruce PTS 8 April 28, 1969 Plaza Arena, Secaucus, New Jersey, U.S.
23 Win 18–3–2 Roberto Davila MD 10 March 14, 1969 Felt Forum, New York City, New York, U.S.
22 Win 17–3–2 Jerry Tomasetti TKO 1 (10),2:20 December 13, 1968 Felt Forum,New York City, New York, U.S.
21 Win 16–3–2 Mert Brownfield MD 10 November 9, 1968 Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
20 Win 15–3–2 Forest Ward TKO 7 (8) September 28, 1968 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
19 Win 14–3–2 Mike Bruce PTS 8 May 20, 1968 Plaza Arena, Secaucus, New Jersey, U.S.
18 Win 13–3–2 Eddie Vick SD 10 April 30, 1968 Walpole,Massachusetts,U.S.
17 Win 12–3–2 Clay Thomas TKO 3 (8),1:13 January 22, 1968 Plaza Arena, Secaucus, New Jersey, U.S.
16 Win 11–3–2 Charlie Harris TKO 6 (8) November 27, 1967 Plaza Arena,Secaucus,New Jersey, U.S.
15 Loss 10–3–2 Jerry Tomasetti TKO 5 (6),1:07 July 19, 1967 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
14 Win 10–2–2 Don McAteer TKO 7 (8),1:32 April 28, 1967 Armory,Jersey City,New Jersey, U.S. Won vacant USA New Jersey Stateheavyweighttitle
13 Win 9–2–2 Lou Hicks UD 6 January 18, 1967 Catholic Youth Center, Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
12 Win 8–2–2 Dave Centi PTS 6 October 21, 1966 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
11 Win 7–2–2 Johnny Deutsch TKO 6 (6) August 3, 1966 Memorial Stadium,Scranton,PennsylvaniaU.S.
10 Win 6–2–2 Cleo Daniels UD 6 April 6, 1966 Westchester County Center,White Plains,New York, U.S.
9 Win 5–2–2 Jerry Tomasetti UD 6 February 22, 1966 Sunnyside Gardens, New York City, New York, U.S.
8 Loss 4–2–2 Buster Mathis TKO 3 (6),1:58 January 17, 1966 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
7 Loss 4–1–2 Bob Stallings SD 6 October 19, 1965 Sunnyside Gardens, New York City, New York, U.S.
6 Draw 4–0–2 Everett Copeland PTS 6 March 23, 1965 Sunnyside Gardens, New York City, New York, U.S.
5 Win 4–0–1 Raymond Patterson SD 6 January 19, 1965 Sunnyside Gardens, New York City, New York, U.S.
4 Win 3–0–1 Jerry Tomasetti UD 4 December 18, 1964 Madison Square Garden,New York City, New York, U.S.
3 Draw 2–0–1 Everett Copeland SD 6 October 27, 1964 Sunnyside Gardens,New York City, New York, U.S.
2 Win 2–0 Rudy Pavesi PTS 4 August 14, 1964 Madison Square Garden,New York City,New York,U.S.
1 Win 1–0 George Cooper KO 3 (4),1:35 August 5, 1964 City Stadium,Bayonne,New Jersey,U.S.

References

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  1. ^"BoxRec: Chuck Wepner".BoxRec.RetrievedFebruary 5,2021.
  2. ^"Chuck" The Real Rocky "Wepner's Home Page with Muhammad Ali".Wepner.homestead. Archived fromthe originalon August 24, 2013.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  3. ^"Chuck Wepner: Boxer".Boxrec. Archived fromthe originalon February 1, 2003.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  4. ^Casey Kasem's American Top 40 from March 1st, 1986
  5. ^"Chuck Wepner"ArchivedMay 8, 2016, at theWayback Machine,BoxRec; retrieved September 27, 2016.
  6. ^Gambardello, Joseph A. (November 20, 2003)."'Rocky' meets reality The fighter who inspired the movies has gone to court to win a share of the profits. He said he has gotten nothing"ArchivedJune 24, 2016, at theWayback Machine,philly; accessed November 21, 2017.
  7. ^"Chuck who?".Lewiston Morning Tribune.(Idaho). Associated Press. January 26, 1975. p. 4B.
  8. ^Sullivan, Joseph F."Bayonne Cheers a Hometown Product; 'Good Luck, Chuck'",The New York Times,March 22, 1975. Accessed April 18, 2020. "Mr. Wepner said that he was a gangling six‐footer when he was 13 years old and that the added height helped him win a berth on the Bayonne High School basketball team."
  9. ^ab"Honouring the real-life 'Rocky' who floored Ali".BBC Sport.RetrievedJanuary 26,2023.
  10. ^abSullivan, Al (January 27, 2007)."'The Bayonne Bleeder' Chuck Wepner, the real life Rocky"ArchivedOctober 2, 2016, at theWayback Machine
  11. ^"Don't Bleed For Me Bayonne".Thesweetscience. November 6, 2004. Archived fromthe originalon May 8, 2011.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  12. ^"Real Rocky Wepner finally getting due".ESPN. October 25, 2011.RetrievedMay 5,2017.
  13. ^"FIGHTLAND".vice.
  14. ^"In Stitches".Time.April 7, 1975.Archivedfrom the original on March 31, 2021.
  15. ^"Real-Life" Rocky "Boxer Chuck Wepner Talks w/ Jim Clash".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on December 11, 2021.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  16. ^"Welcome to nginx".news.google.Archived fromthe originalon July 16, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 27,2022.
  17. ^abAlexander, Bryan (May 2, 2017)."2 4 'Chuck': Five things you should know about the real 'Rocky' Chuck Wepner".USA Today.RetrievedJanuary 29,2018.
  18. ^ab"Chuck Wepner finally recognized for 'Rocky' fame".Espn.go. October 25, 2011.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  19. ^abFeuerzeig, Jeff (Director) (October 25, 2011).The Real Rocky(Motion picture). ESPN Films.
  20. ^"Andre The Giant | Chuck Wepner (ex) 1/1".YouTube. April 21, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on December 11, 2021.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  21. ^"Andre the Giant vs. Chuck Wepner".YouTube. August 26, 2006.Archivedfrom the original on December 11, 2021.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  22. ^"Scott Frank".Njbo xing hof.org. Archived fromthe originalon April 15, 2012.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  23. ^"Interview with Chuck Wepner: Blood, Sweat & Tears! –Bo xing News".Doghousebo xing. March 10, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon November 14, 2012.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  24. ^"Bo xing Wepner, Once Fought Ali, Gets 10 Years For Drugs". Sun Sentinel. March 16, 1988.
  25. ^"Wepner Sentenced".The New York Times.March 16, 1988.
  26. ^Katz, Michael (June 7, 1991)."Bayonne & Back for Ali, Wepner".Daily News.RetrievedAugust 11,2019– via Newspapers.
  27. ^"'Bayonne Bleeder' settles Rocky suit vs. Stallone ".ESPN.August 8, 2006.RetrievedAugust 11,2019.
  28. ^"35 years after facing Muhammad Ali, 'Bayonne Bleeder' Chuck Wepner still pulls no punches | Professional | NewJerseyNewsroom – Your State. Your News".NewJerseyNewsroom. March 23, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon October 7, 2011.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  29. ^New Jersey (September 4, 2011)."Politi: Chuck Wepner, the real 'Rocky,' to have his story told by Hollywood, ESPN documentary".NJ.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  30. ^"After 36 years, real-life Rocky's story coming soon".CNN. September 23, 2011.
  31. ^"ESPN Films – Chuck Wepner Knocks Down Muhammed Ali".YouTube. October 30, 1974. Archived fromthe originalon November 10, 2012.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  32. ^Wepner sues over 'Copycat' film.Wepner, the boxer who inspired the character of Rocky Balboa, is preparing for a legal fight over his life story.
  33. ^"The Greatest Underdog Story Ever Told | Stallone On Making ROCKY" /https:// youtube /watch?v=PISX0iaMsXc
  34. ^"Thunderlips.wmv".YouTube. July 2, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on December 11, 2021.RetrievedNovember 20,2012.
  35. ^Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 7, 2015)."'Ray Donovan's Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts To Star In Chuck Wepner Underdog Ring Saga 'The Bleeder'".Deadline Hollywood.Archived fromthe originalon October 8, 2015.RetrievedNovember 16,2015.
  36. ^"The Brawler (2018)".imdb.IMDb, Inc.RetrievedDecember 28,2018.
  37. ^"Bayonne to unveil Chuck Wepner statue in Collins Park".November 3, 2022.
  38. ^"Plans revealed for life-size statue honoring Bayonne Bleeder Chuck Wepner".April 13, 2015.
  39. ^"Rendering of Chuck Wepner statue unveiled at Bayonne PAL dinner".April 12, 2015.
  40. ^"'Real Rocky' Chuck Wepner honored with bronze statue -- and artist is doing it for free ".August 23, 2018.
  41. ^Kilgannon, Corey (April 6, 2019)."'Rocky' Has a Statue in Philadelphia. Now the 'Real Rocky' Will Get One in Jersey ".The New York Times.
  42. ^Israel, Daniel; Writer, Staff (April 22, 2022)."Enough money raised to bring Chuck Wepner statue to Bayonne".
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