Former New Jersey boxer CHUCK WEPNER (a.k.a. "The Bayonne Bleeder.") turns 80 today. Wepner, as you may know, was PART of the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone's first "Rocky" movie. He went 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali in 1975 and though he was bloodied, battered and bruised in the process, Chuck scored a "moral victory"because no one gave him a chance to last more than a few minutes in that ring. (For my birthday two weeks ago, in addition to the books mentioned recently I got these two DVDs pictured above. By the way, "Chuck" was originally titled "The Bleeder" and there is a THIRD movie about Wepner which I don't have at the time of this writing, called "The Brawler.")
Back to STALLONE.
Sylvester, a "nobody" in Hollywood at that time, was at that now-famous Ali-Wepner fight in 1975. Inspired partially by Wepner's grit, Sly wrote and starred in "Rocky" in 1976, and the rest is history. The movie won Best Picture, and Stallone was suddenly a huge star. All of the subsequent Rocky movies.have grossed upwards of a billion dollars worldwide and for many years, Wepner never received a dime in financial compensation from Stallone. Wepner's boxing career ended quietly in '78, and he became a liquor salesman here in Jersey.
The two films (above) about Wepner, both recently made, are short but highly entertaining. I watched them "back-to-back" to compare the two. Both agree that Stallone credited Wepner as part of the inspiration for the Rocky character, just like ALI was clearly the model for APOLLO CREED, Rocky's first antagonist. Wepner then became a local "REAL" hero here in Jersey, while Sly's character was a worldwide "REEL" hero. And, both films agree that Stallone tried to write Chuck Wepner into a "Rocky II" cameo under the name of "Chink Weber" (sounds like "Chuck Wepner," but it was "Chink Weber.") Perhaps Sly felt sorry that Chuck's boxing career ended without a Championship belt, whereas "Rocky II,"which would come out in '79, would have "Rocky" WIN the title, thereby firmly entrenching Stallone in the character's success. Maybe, maybe not...but no matter Sly's motive, it was a nice gesture!! Unfortunately, both DVDs agree that Wepner failed the audition...(though only one of them stated that it was because he was high on drugs that day, so it was his own fault.)
Only one of the videos proved that Chuck wrestled with Andre the Giant, and that Stallone then had ROCKY wrestle with HULK HOGAN, (and get thrown from the ring, like Chuck did) in "Rocky III," (1982.) So, it's clear that Stallone continued to draw SOME inspiration from Wepner (though Rocky NEVER fought a live BEAR, as Chuck did, Lol!!) And wherever Chuck went, HE was well-known BECAUSE of "Rocky." The beloved Rocky Balboa character was a "rising tide" that lifted Chuck's leaky "boat," just as CHUCK indirectly helped SLY become a household name.
But in the movies, the "Rocky" character was VERY different than Wepner. He went on to WIN the World Heavyweight title, yes, but also was faithful to his wife and didn't abuse drugs, for example. (Wepner, in real life, NEVER won the belt, was UNfaithful to his wife and DID do drugs.) Eventually, because of drugs, Wepner went to Northern State Prison here in Jersey, and while serving his sentence, something very strange happened!! Stallone, in 1989, filmed the prison movie "Lock Up" there.
Here's where the two DVDs pictured above totally contradict themselves.
In ONE of them, Wepner claims he refused to meet with Stallone when the Warden, at Sly's request, brought him out to the prison courtyard during filming of the movie.
But in the OTHER film, Wepner claimed he DID talk to Sly, and Stallone gratefully credited him again for helping him jumpstart his Hollywood career, by inspiring "Rocky."
Clearly, Wepner was lying in ONE of these DVDs. And what's doubly sad is that, when "Lock Up" came out, Stallone's main atagonist amongst the prison population was named..."CHINK WEBER."
"Chink Weber," the name that WAS to be Chuck Wepner's character's name, in "Rocky II"!!
Talk about childish. It's hard to believe that Stallone wasn't trying to stick it to Wepner for missing his "Rocky II" cameo opportunity, by giving "his" moniker to a bad guy in a prison flick.
There's more. In 1996-1997, Stallone was filming scenes for "Cop Land" right near Wepner's hometown of Bayonne.
Wepner, out of jail and perhaps feeling Sly was now "rubbing it right under his nose," SUED him regarding "Rocky" (30 years after the fact.) And after a few years of legal wrangling, Chuck was awarded an undisclosed amount of money by Stallone. Chuck's lawyers said he inspired "Rocky" and I see his point, but Sly said "Rocky" was 1.) An idea he had BEFORE the Ali-Wepner fight, based on Rocky Marciano and 2.) MORE inspirational than Chuck, who made many bad decisions, so I see HIS point, TOO. Here's my bottom line....BOTH Sly and Chuck owe EACH OTHER a debt.
Sly WAS inspired by Chuck Wepner, but without Stallone doing the "Rocky" movie and freely CREDITING Wepner for that partial motivation, nobody would have remembered the name of the guy Ali went 15 rounds with, even though Wepner knocked The Champ down.
And Chuck certainly wouldn't have been the focus of those three DVDs, decades later!! They would have never been made, you see. The guy would never have been known, outside of New Jersey.
And "Chink Weber" in Lock Up" would have been someone else, entirely.
These two guys need to knock it off, already. It's a Split Decision, they both OWE each other and both need to FORGIVE each other. Today, on Chuck's 80th, I pray that both he AND Sly would truly come to know the Lord, be forgiven by Him for ALL of their sins and write a happy ending to this story which will be as public as their feud was.
That would make a great MOVIE!!
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