Charles Wepner (born February 26, 1939) is an American former
professional boxer
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, ...
in a 1975 championship fight. Wepner also scored notable wins over
Randy Neumann
Randolph Neumann (born July 21, 1948), raised in Cliffside Park, New Jersey,Randy Neumann , New Jersey Boxing ...
and former world heavyweight champion Ernie Terrell. He was also the last man to fight former undisputed world heavyweight champion
Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston ( 1930 – December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. A dominant contender of his era, he became the world heavyweight champion in 1962 after knocking out Floyd Patterson ...
.
Wepner's boxing career, and fight with Ali, inspired the 1976 film ''
Rocky
''Rocky'' is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise and stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burges ...
'', and other life events were chronicled in the 2016 film, '' Chuck''. He was also the subject of the 2019 film ''
The Brawler
''The Brawler'' is a 2019 American biographical film directed by Ken Kushner and starring Zach McGowan as Chuck Wepner. The film also stars Amy Smart and Taryn Manning.
Plot
Chuck is a heavyweight boxer ranked in the top ten struggling to provide ...
''.
Early life
Charles Wepner was born on February 26, 1939, in New York City. He is of
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
,
Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
, and Polish descent.
Wepner learned to fight on the streets of
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne ( ) is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is situated on a peninsula located between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill Van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east. As ...
, 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 (now Kennedy 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. At
Bayonne High School
Bayonne High School (BHS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades in Bayonne, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, operated by the Bayonne Board of Education. The school has been ...
, his height helped him get a spot on the basketball team.
Wepner opted to join the U.S. Marines, where he became a member of the boxing team, developing a reputation for being able to withstand other boxers' punches, and becoming a military champion at one of the airbases. A 1975 ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence tw ...
Wepner turned professional in 1964 and became a popular boxer on the Northeast's Club Boxing circuit, fighting throughout the region, including in arenas close to his boyhood home such as
North Bergen
North Bergen is a township in the northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township had a total population of 63,361. The township was founded in 1843. It was much diminished in territory by ...
and
Secaucus
Secaucus ( ) is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the town's population was 16,264, Nicknamed "The Bayonne Bleeder", he began posting many wins and some losses. He had formerly boxed while a member of the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...
, and had worked as a bouncer before turning pro. He was the New Jersey state heavyweight boxing champion, but after losing bouts to
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author. In boxing, he was nicknamed "Big George" and competed between 1967 and 1997. He is a two-time world heavyweight champi ...
(by cut eye stoppage in three) and
Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston ( 1930 – December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. A dominant contender of his era, he became the world heavyweight champion in 1962 after knocking out Floyd Patterson ...
(by knockout in ten) many boxing fans thought that his days as a contender were numbered. After the match with Liston, Wepner needed 72 stitches in his face. After his retirement, Wepner stated that Liston was the hardest puncher he ever fought.
However, after losing to
Joe Bugner
József Kreul Bugner (born 13 March 1950) is a Hungarian-born British- Australian former heavyweight boxer and actor. He holds triple nationality, being a citizen of Hungary and a naturalised citizen of both Australia and the United King ...
by 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 champion Ernie Terrell.
Muhammad Ali fight
In 1975, it was announced Wepner would challenge
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, ...
for the world heavyweight title.
According to the ''Cleveland Plain Dealer'' (February 9, 1975, Page 4-C), Carl Lombardo invested $1.3 million to finance the Wepner-Ali heavyweight title bout. According to a ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' article, "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 coaxing." Wepner spent eight weeks training in the Catskill Mountains under the guidance of Al Braverman (trainer and noted cutman) 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 boxing clubs. The match was held on March 24 at the Richfield Coliseum in
Richfield, Ohio
Richfield is a village in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,648 at the 2010 census. The village and the adjacent Richfield Township are approximately equidistant between the downtown areas of Akron and Cleveland. It is ...
, south of
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...
. 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."
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."
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.
After the Ali-Wepner bout,
Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Enzio Stallone (; born Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone, ) is an American actor and filmmaker. After his beginnings as a struggling actor for a number of years upon arriving to New York City in 1969 and later Hollywood in 1974, h ...
wrote the script for ''
Rocky
''Rocky'' is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise and stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burges ...
'', which was released in theatres in 1976. Like Wepner, (Rocky) Balboa lasts 15 rounds, but unlike Wepner, he actually " goes the distance". For years after ''Rocky'' was released, Stallone denied that Wepner provided inspiration for the movie, though he eventually admitted that it was so.
Late career
In 1976, Wepner fought
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff (; 19 May 1946 – 28 January 1993), better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess ...
and lost by countout after Andre threw him out of the ring.
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. Wepner lost the match in a 12-round decision, but again proved durable, ''Ring'' magazine noted. He announced his retirement afterwards.
Later life
After his retirement from boxing, Wepner began abusing drugs. In 1979, Sylvester Stallone wanted to cast Wepner as a sparring partner in ''
Rocky II
''Rocky II'' is a 1979 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the sequel to ''Rocky'' (1976) and is the second installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl W ...
'', but he failed the audition due to his drug problems.
In November 1985, Wepner was arrested on drug charges when he was found with four ounces of
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...
in an undercover police investigation. Under a plea-bargain agreement, he was sentenced in 1988 to ten years in prison. He served 17 months in
Northern State Prison
Northern State Prison is a state run prison located at 168 Frontage Road in Newark, New Jersey for male offenders. It is operated by the New Jersey Department of Corrections
The New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) is responsible fo ...
, Newark, New Jersey, then spent another 20 months in New Jersey's intensive supervision program.
In 2003, Wepner sued Sylvester Stallone, seeking payment for his use as the inspiration for ''Rocky'' and the film series. The lawsuit was settled with Stallone in 2006 for an undisclosed amount.
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 in
Carlstadt, New Jersey
Carlstadt is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 6,127,Mike Rossman in
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.
, at a Tropicana Casino & Resort Atlantic City fight card featuring a WBA NABA Lightweight title bout in the main event. Wepner held the WBA NABA heavyweight title during his boxing career.
Portrayals and inspirations
*
Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Enzio Stallone (; born Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone, ) is an American actor and filmmaker. After his beginnings as a struggling actor for a number of years upon arriving to New York City in 1969 and later Hollywood in 1974, h ...
's character Rocky Balboa and portions of the Rocky film series were inspired by the life of Chuck Wepner. For instance, it was speculated that a scene from the 1982 film ''
Rocky III
''Rocky III'' is a 1982 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the sequel to '' Rocky II'' (1979) and is the third installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise. Along with Stallone reprising the title r ...
'' had been influenced by Wepner's fight against Andre the Giant, as the movie features a match versus wrestler
Hulk Hogan
Terry Eugene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 19 ...
as "Thunderlips", who throws Rocky out of the ring.
*
Liev Schreiber
Isaac Liev Schreiber (; born October 4, 1967) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and narrator. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s after appearing in several independent films, and later mainstream Hollywood ...
played the role of Wepner in a sports film, '' Chuck''.
* Zach McGowan played the role of Wepner in another sports film, ''
The Brawler
''The Brawler'' is a 2019 American biographical film directed by Ken Kushner and starring Zach McGowan as Chuck Wepner. The film also stars Amy Smart and Taryn Manning.
Plot
Chuck is a heavyweight boxer ranked in the top ten struggling to provide ...
''.
*In 2022 of a statue of Wepner was unveiled in Collins Park in Bayonne.. The project had been several years in the works.
Professional boxing record
, -
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="8", 35 Wins (17 knockouts), 14 Losses, 2 Draws
, - style="text-align:center; background:#e3e3e3;"
, style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Result
, style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Record
, style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Opponent
, style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Type
, style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Round
, style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Date
, style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Location
, style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Notes
, - align=center
, Loss
, 35–14–2
, align=left, Scott Frank
, PTS
, 12
,
, align=left,
, align=left,
, - align=center
, Win
, 35–13–2
, align=left, Tom Healy
, KO
, 5
,
, align=left,
, align=left,
, - align=center
, Win
, 34–13–2
, align=left, Johnny Blaine
, KO
, 3
,
, align=left,
, align=left,
, - align=center
, Loss
, 33–13–2
, align=left, Horst Geisler
, TKO
, 10
,
, align=left,
,
, - align=center
, Loss
, 33–12–2
, align=left, Mike Schutte
, PTS
, 10
,
, align=left,
, align=left,
, - align=center
, Loss
, 33–11–2
, align=left, Duane Bobick
, TKO
, 6
,
, align=left,
,
, - align=center
, Win
, 33–10–2
, align=left, Tommy Sheehan
, TKO
, 2
,
, align=left,
, align=left,
, - align=center
, Win
, 32–10–2
, align=left, Johnny Dolan
, KO
, 3
,
, align=left,
, align=left,
, - align=center
, Win
, 31–10–2
, align=left, Johnny Evans
, TKO
, 4
,
, align=left,
, align=left,
, - align=center
, Loss
, 30–10–2
, align=left,
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, ...
Joe Bugner
József Kreul Bugner (born 13 March 1950) is a Hungarian-born British- Australian former heavyweight boxer and actor. He holds triple nationality, being a citizen of Hungary and a naturalised citizen of both Australia and the United King ...
, TKO
, 3
,
, align=left,
,
, - align=center
, Loss
, 20–6–2
, align=left,
Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston ( 1930 – December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. A dominant contender of his era, he became the world heavyweight champion in 1962 after knocking out Floyd Patterson ...
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author. In boxing, he was nicknamed "Big George" and competed between 1967 and 1997. He is a two-time world heavyweight champi ...
Buster Mathis
Buster Mathis (June 11, 1943 – September 6, 1995) was an American boxer.
Career
Mathis had a successful career as an amateur heavyweight boxer. He qualified for a spot in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, but had to withdraw due to an injury. He was r ...