John G. Avildsen's "Rocky" is one of the most surprising sleeper hits of all time. Released to theaters on December 3, 1976, the stand-up-and-cheer classic would go on to gross $117 million domestically against a $1.1 million budget and win three Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Editing) in a banger of a year that included all-timers like "Taxi Driver," "All the President's Men," and "Network." It was such a joyous experience (even though our underdog hero loses via split decision) that moviegoers
went back for seconds and thirds just to reexperience the high of Sylvester Stallone's Philly palooka Rocky Balboa inexplicably going the 15-round distance against the seemingly unbeatable heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers).
What felt like a pugilistic fairy tale was actually based in large part on a true story. On March 24, 1975, the Richfield Coliseum, the home of the Cleveland Cavaliers (which treated fans to a real-life miracle a year later when the Cavs made a thrilling run in the 1976 NBA Playoffs), hosted a title fight between heavyweight title holder Muhammad Ali and a tomato can named Chuck Wepner (who owned the uncomplimentary nickname "The Bayonne Bleeder"). This was a tune-up fight for Ali, who'd just become the undisputed champ after knocking out George Foreman in the eighth round of the historic Rumble in the Jungle. He was expected to make short work of Wepner before duking it out with the brick-fisted Ron Lyle less than two months later. Now, Northeast Ohioans paid good money to see the GOAT do what he did better than anyone on the planet, so, thinking Wepner was thrilled at the prospect of taking a $100,000 butt-whooping, Ali did some light (for him) training and planned on carrying the Bleeder for a few rounds to the delight of the Coliseum crowd. Wepner, however, freed of the obligation of working a second job as he trained (due to that guaranteed 100-grand payday), put in serious work.
15 rounds later, Ali triumphed via TKO, but he shockingly kissed canvas in the ninth (thanks to Wepner craftily stepping on the champ's foot as he delivered a power punch). For a moment, the greatest upset in boxing history seemed in the offing. Then Ali got up and spent the rest of the fight turning Wepner's face into hamburger.
Stallone wisely opted to print the legend and tried to pay it his good fortune forward to Wepner. Tragically, this was not to be.
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Chuck Wepner's Carousing And Cocaine Addiction Cost Him A Role In Rocky II
Stallone acknowledged that "Rocky" was based on the Ali-Wepner fight, and we know that while he borrowed elements from real life (like Ali half-assing his training and Wepner's penchant for sprinting up a cement flight of public stairs), he added some wrinkles for dramatic effect (e.g. gulping down raw eggs pre-roadwork and turning sides of beef into heavy bags). Nevertheless, Sly felt like he at least owed Wepner a cameo in "Rocky II" as one of the Italian Stallion's sparring partners, so he brought him in for an audition. The Bayonne Bleeder did not put in the training this time. At all.
As Wepner told USA Today (while doing press for the 2017 biopic "Chuck" starring Liev Schreiber), the screen test was a disaster. "I was out for two days partying and showed up with a friend and a couple of go-go girls," he said. "I just didn't do good for the part. I deserved not to be in the movie."
Wepner's downward spiral led to a 1985 arrest for cocaine possession, which earned him a 37-month sentence in prison and under strict state supervision. Wepner eventually got remarried and has been working successfully in the liquor sales industry for 15 years. His is both an inspirational and cautionary tale, but he seems to be in a good place now. Keep fighting, Chuck.
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