How Chuck Wepner Inspired the Making of “Rocky”

One night and one fight turned a journeyman pro boxer into a legend.

Chuck Wepner, AKA “The Bayonne Bleeder,” was a pro boxer from New York City. He fought as a heavyweight in 51 fights with a record of winning 35 (17 by knockout), losing 14 losses, and drawing two.

Wepner went pro in 1964 and was popular in the Northeast’s club boxing circuit. He also boxed when he was serving in the States Marine Corps. He had success, winning the New Jersey state heavyweight boxing championship. Still, his career trajectory was halted after losing to George Foreman and Sonny Liston–the Liston fight, especially–when the doctors had to mend his facing using 72 stitches.

From the Ali-Wepner fight (photo, NJ.com)

What Wepner couldn’t have possibly known at the time is that his biggest challenge was yet to come. Muhammad Ali would fight Wepner for the world heavyweight title. Promoter Carl Lombardo invested $1.3 million in the fight, with Ali guaranteed $1.5 million and Wepner getting $100,000.

Wepner spent eight weeks training with his trainer Al Braverman in the Catskill Mountains for what most people thought would be a quick and easy fight for the champ. As the bell rang at the start of the 15-round fight, Ali came out toying with Wepner. But, surprisingly, Wepner held his own.

Then, the unthinkable happened. In Round 9, Wepner put Ali on the canvas.

While Ali was down, Wepner reportedly told his manager, “Start the car! We’re going to the bank.” His manager replied, “You’d better turn around. He’s getting up, and he looks pissed off.” He was right.

Ali outboxed Wepner from that point on, opening up cuts above Wepner’s eyes and breaking his nose. Still, the fight dragged on, all the way to Round 15, when Ali floored Wepner with 15 seconds left in the bout.

Stallone with Wepner (photo, Yahoo!)

Ali won, but the headline was that Wepner had gone the distance against the world’s greatest fighter.

Sylvester Stallone watched the Wepner-Ali fight, and the action inspired him to write the screenplay for his 1976 film, Rocky. The film grabbed the nation’s attention and won the Oscar that year.

But that wasn’t the end of Hollywood’s love affair with Chuck Wepner. Liev Schreiber played Wepner in Chuck (2016), and Zach McGowan played Wepner in The Brawler (2018).

Can we say Chuck Wepner is the “real” Rocky? I think we can make a solid argument for that. And even though Rocky premiered nearly a half-century ago, at 83 years of age this year, Wepner is still enjoying the adulation.