Editing Chuck Wepner (section)

== Career ==
Wepner turned professional in 1964 and became a popular boxer on the Northeast's [[Club fighter|Club Boxing]] circuit, where he began posting many wins and some losses fighting throughout the region, including in arenas close to his boyhood home such as [[North Bergen]] and [[Secaucus]].<ref name="HudsonReporter" />

Nicknamed "The Bayonne Bleeder" due to repeated facial injuries in the ring, he took the name that was initially meant as an insult and made it his ''nom de guerre''. In an interview with the BBC, Wepner said "I was a big bleeder. I had 328 stitches in my career. My nose was broken nine times in 16 years. And, uh, it never fazed me, you know?"<ref name="BBC Sport"/>

Wepner had formerly boxed while a member of the [[United States Marine Corps]], and had worked as a [[Bouncer (doorman)|bouncer]] before turning pro.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/1298-don-t-bleed-for-me-bayonne |title=Don't Bleed For Me Bayonne |publisher=Thesweetscience.com |date=November 6, 2004 |access-date=November 20, 2012 |archive-date=May 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110508063116/http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/1298-don-t-bleed-for-me-bayonne |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was the New Jersey state heavyweight boxing champion, but after losing bouts to [[George Foreman]] (by cut eye stoppage in three) and [[Sonny Liston]] (by technical knockout in nine) many boxing fans thought that his days as a contender were numbered. After the match with Liston, Wepner needed 72 stitches in his face.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/page/IamChuckWepner/chuck-wepner-recognized-rocky-fame |title=Real Rocky Wepner finally getting due |publisher=ESPN |date=October 25, 2011 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref> After his retirement, Wepner stated that Liston was the hardest puncher he ever fought.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/tag/fightland/|title=FIGHTLAND|website=Vice.com}}</ref>

However, after losing to [[Joe Bugner]] 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 that Wepner would challenge [[Muhammad Ali]] 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 (magazine)|Time]]'' 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,917248,00.html |title=In Stitches |date=April 7, 1975 |publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331010154/http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,917248,00.html |archive-date=March 31, 2021}}</ref> The match was held on March 24 at the [[Richfield Coliseum]] in [[Richfield, Ohio]], south of [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]]. 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."{{citation needed|date=December 2011}}

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."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E20UvJsBykg  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/E20UvJsBykg| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Real-Life "Rocky" Boxer Chuck Wepner Talks w/ Jim Clash |publisher=YouTube |access-date=November 20, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2d8jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7CgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6876,2371884&dq=chuck+wepner+muhammad+ali&hl=en |title=Welcome to nginx |website=news.google.com |access-date=January 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716131832/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2d8jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7CgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6876,2371884&dq=chuck+wepner+muhammad+ali&hl=en |archive-date=July 16, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

After the Ali-Wepner bout, [[Sylvester Stallone]] wrote the script for ''[[Rocky]]'', which was released in theatres in 1976. Like Wepner, (Rocky) Balboa lasts 15 rounds, but unlike Wepner, he actually "[[The distance (boxing)|goes the distance]]".<ref name="usa">{{cite news |last1=Alexander |first1=Bryan |title=2 4 'Chuck': Five things you should know about the real 'Rocky' Chuck Wepner |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2017/05/02/who-is-real-rocky-chuck-wepner/101158422/ |access-date=January 29, 2018 |work=USA Today |date=May 2, 2017}}</ref> For years after ''Rocky'' was released, Stallone denied that Wepner provided inspiration for the movie, though he eventually admitted it.<ref name="ESPN Wepner Recognized">{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/page/IamChuckWepner/chuck-wepner-recognized-rocky-fame |title=Chuck Wepner finally recognized for 'Rocky' fame |date=October 25, 2011 |publisher=Espn.go.com |access-date=November 20, 2012}}</ref><ref name="The Real Rocky2">{{cite video |people=Feuerzeig, Jeff (Director) |date=October 25, 2011 |title=The Real Rocky |medium=Motion picture |publisher=ESPN Films}}</ref>

=== Late career ===
In 1976, Wepner fought [[professional wrestler]] [[André the Giant]] and lost by countout after Andre threw him out of the ring.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3EksOFtILs  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/h3EksOFtILs| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Andre The Giant &#124; Chuck Wepner (ex) 1/1 |publisher=YouTube |date=April 21, 2009 |access-date=November 20, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozRTSSaP6p4  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/ozRTSSaP6p4| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Andre the Giant vs. Chuck Wepner |publisher=YouTube |date=August 26, 2006 |access-date=November 20, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 

On October 25, 1977, Wepner went to Japan and lost to [[Antonio Inoki]] in a Wrestler vs Boxer match. 

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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.njboxinghof.org/cgi-bin/henryseehof.pl?486 |title=Scott Frank |publisher=Njboxinghof.org |access-date=November 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415081803/http://www.njboxinghof.org/cgi-bin/henryseehof.pl?486 |archive-date=April 15, 2012 }}</ref> Wepner lost the match in a 12-round decision, but again proved durable. He announced his retirement afterwards.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Ken/Hissner031011.htm |title=Interview with Chuck Wepner: Blood, Sweat & Tears! – ''Boxing News'' |publisher=Doghouseboxing.com |date=March 10, 2011 |access-date=November 20, 2012 |archive-date=November 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114120310/http://doghouseboxing.com/Ken/Hissner031011.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>