Chuck Wepner Suing Stallone for 'Rocky' Films
I can't help feeling sorry for Wepner but I don't think he has a real legal case, a moral case yes, but legal no. Wepners big mistake was not having his biography written in the late 70s or early 80s.... he couldve billed it as the biog of the boxer who inspired Rocky and it would have sold well I think. Even today it would make good reading but I don't think it would do half as well as it would have during the 'ROCKY' years.
Shame Philly doesn't have a statue of Joe Frazier, Saad Muhammad, Bennie Briscoe, Harold Johnson or Animal Fletcher or any of the other dozens of great fiighters that came from Philly. I ve nothing against Stallone or his Rocky films but think it's strange that a fictional hero should be placed above so many real 'live' heroes.
Only in America.
Only in America.
Dori Monson's Radio Show
I believe I just heard that Wepner will be a guest on the Dori Monson radio show here in the Seattle area, KIRO 710, Monday, Nov. 17.
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Sweet Scientist
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Wepner, Frazier et al.
Ok here's what I see, some similarities and differences of both Chuck Wepner and Joe Frazier (as well as others) to the "Rocky Balboa" character: <Wepner of course says "Rocky" was based solely on him, not on Frazier or anyone else, likely for financial/legal reasons...was Wepner once a Frazier sparring partner, as I've heard?>
Wepner similar to Rocky: "working-class" heavyweight fighter, fights the Ali-like champ against long odds and manages to knock him down.
Wepner different from Rocky: didn't exactly "go the distance" but was TKO'd shortly before the end. Didn't work or train in a slaughterhouse (but as a bartender?). Not from Philadelphia but from Bayonne NJ (relatively close). Not Italian-American (German?). Not really as obscure as Balboa was supposed to be, Chuck had two shots at the "big time" before he fought Ali: against Foreman (on George's way up) and Liston (on Sonny's way down). Chuck lost both.
Frazier similar to Rocky: lived in Philadelphia, worked (and trained?) in slaughterhouse. Used slugging style and left hand to great effectiveness. Fought the real Muhammad Ali three times, winning once, and knocking Ali down once. Appeared in the first "Rocky" as an implied former (and/or future) opponent of Creed's, perhaps Stallone's acknowledgement of Frazier (if not Wepner). Also, Frazier's manager advised Joe not to fight George Foreman because he feared Foreman was too tough, Frazier took the fight anyway, didn't train seriously and lost in a couple of rounds. This scenario was more or less played out in "Rocky III," though for more pathos Stallone had the fictional Mickey die right at the fight and not shortly after (as Yank Durham did in reality).
Frazier different from Rocky: Joe was of course Black-American and not Italian (again, though, Wepner wasn't Italian either). And not only did Joe in fact win his first fight against Ali, he was hardly obscure going into it either. An Olympic Gold Medal winner and holder, as much as anyone was, of the post-Ali heavyweight title.
Rocky Marciano and "Rocky Balboa": there is of course the name (but Marciano was hardly the only boxing Rocky, there were also Graziano, Castellani, Kansas and many others), Italian heritage and somewhat the boxing style. And Marciano was mentioned in both "Rocky" and "Rocky V." Indeed, similar to George S. Patton and George C. Scott, some have now viewed the real life Marciano only through the lens of the fictional Balboa. But that's not really valid, among other differences Marciano was hardly obscure at the time he challenged Walcott for the title. In fact, his victories against Joe Louis and others had many fans waiting for Rocky's title shot.
Some here have also brought up Mauro Mina, so if he has an estate possibly they should look into this...
Anthony
Wepner similar to Rocky: "working-class" heavyweight fighter, fights the Ali-like champ against long odds and manages to knock him down.
Wepner different from Rocky: didn't exactly "go the distance" but was TKO'd shortly before the end. Didn't work or train in a slaughterhouse (but as a bartender?). Not from Philadelphia but from Bayonne NJ (relatively close). Not Italian-American (German?). Not really as obscure as Balboa was supposed to be, Chuck had two shots at the "big time" before he fought Ali: against Foreman (on George's way up) and Liston (on Sonny's way down). Chuck lost both.
Frazier similar to Rocky: lived in Philadelphia, worked (and trained?) in slaughterhouse. Used slugging style and left hand to great effectiveness. Fought the real Muhammad Ali three times, winning once, and knocking Ali down once. Appeared in the first "Rocky" as an implied former (and/or future) opponent of Creed's, perhaps Stallone's acknowledgement of Frazier (if not Wepner). Also, Frazier's manager advised Joe not to fight George Foreman because he feared Foreman was too tough, Frazier took the fight anyway, didn't train seriously and lost in a couple of rounds. This scenario was more or less played out in "Rocky III," though for more pathos Stallone had the fictional Mickey die right at the fight and not shortly after (as Yank Durham did in reality).
Frazier different from Rocky: Joe was of course Black-American and not Italian (again, though, Wepner wasn't Italian either). And not only did Joe in fact win his first fight against Ali, he was hardly obscure going into it either. An Olympic Gold Medal winner and holder, as much as anyone was, of the post-Ali heavyweight title.
Rocky Marciano and "Rocky Balboa": there is of course the name (but Marciano was hardly the only boxing Rocky, there were also Graziano, Castellani, Kansas and many others), Italian heritage and somewhat the boxing style. And Marciano was mentioned in both "Rocky" and "Rocky V." Indeed, similar to George S. Patton and George C. Scott, some have now viewed the real life Marciano only through the lens of the fictional Balboa. But that's not really valid, among other differences Marciano was hardly obscure at the time he challenged Walcott for the title. In fact, his victories against Joe Louis and others had many fans waiting for Rocky's title shot.
Some here have also brought up Mauro Mina, so if he has an estate possibly they should look into this...
Anthony
