Charles "Chuck" Wepner (born February 26, 1939) is a former heavyweight boxer from Bayonne, New Jersey. As a tough journeyman boxer he went 15 rounds with world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in a 1975 fight. Wepner claimed that he was the inspiration for the movie Rocky. Wepner also appeared in the book Operation Bullpen about the $100 million fake autograph scam. The last chapters of Operation Bullpen focus on the John Olson-Chuck Wepner counterfeit scheme in which Olson forged Muhammad Ali autographs on a variety of Ali merchandise, including photographs of Ali and Wepner. Wepner sold forgeries in partnership with Olson, and in 2002 the FBI arrested them both. Each received probation for their crimes.
Wepner, a professional boxer, gained a following in the Bayonne, New Jersey, area, after never having been knocked down in more than 130 fights. Boxing promoter Don King heard about him and set up a championship match in 1975 between Wepner and champ Muhammad Ali, figuring Wepner would be not much more than a sparring partner for Ali, who would knock him out after a few rounds. To everyone's surprise, Wepner not only made it into the 15th round but actually floored Ali with one punch in the ninth round. Ali came back, however, and TKO'd Wepner at 2:41 of the 15th round, thus ending Wepner's no-knockdown string. As Wepner got up, stumbling against the ropes, the referee stopped the fight, giving Ali the TKO. Actor Sylvester Stallone saw the fight and was so impressed with Wepner that he began to write a script about it, which eventually became "Rocky".
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Garden's Defining Moments
2015-2016
TV Mini-Series
The Gig
1985
The driver
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Real Rocky
2011
TV Movie archive source
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Cavuto on Business
2012
TV Series
Himself
Ali 70 from Las Vegas
2012
TV Movie
Himself
The Real Rocky
2011
TV Movie
Himself
The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame...
2006
TV Series
Himself
ESPN SportsCentury
2001-2004
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Tim McCarver Show
2003
TV Series
Himself - Guest
WrestleMania XV
1999
TV Special
Himself
Sonny Liston: The Mysterious Life and Death of a Champion
1995
TV Movie documentary
Himself
World Wrestling Federation
1976
TV Series
Himself
World Heavyweight Championship: Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner
1975
Himself
ABC's Wide World of Sports
1975
TV Series
Himself
The Mike Douglas Show
1975
TV Series
Himself - Pro Boxer
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Biography
2011
TV Series documentary
Himself
Known for movies
The Real Rocky (2011) as Miscellaneous Crew
WrestleMania XV (1999) as Himself
Ali 70 from Las Vegas (2012) as Himself
Sonny Liston: The Mysterious Life and Death of a Champion (1995) as Himself
$400 Thousand
