BoxRec

Anyone know when it was that Chuck Wepner rasseled the Bear?
I think there may have been two different Victor the Bears.
The original one that appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show died in the mid-1970's(I read somewhere)
Here is some footage of the bear that Wepner may have been in the ring with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_agOgaaFMwY

Chuck Wepner wrestled Victor the Bear in 1976 at the Convention Hall,Asbury Park NJ
not too long after the bout with Andre the Giant.
So its possible it may have actually been the original Victor the Bear I guess.

Here is Victor the Bear in his younger days.
From 1965 when it wrassled the Destroyer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjnuVFmiDfM

here is a short interview with Chuck Wepner who says he fought Victor the Bear on two different occasions.

http://www.jerseymanmagazine.com/the-re ... uck-wepner

Wepner wasnt the only New Jersey fighter to wrestle bears, Two Ton Toney Galento had boxing exhibitions and wrestling exhibitions alike with bears.

Victor the Bear was de-clawed,and de-fanged and also wore a muzzle.
He weighed around 600 lbs.
However it was warned not to put the fingers in his mouth still because he could bite
them off if one the fingers got n the back of its mouth.
The trainer also warned most wrestlers"Not to Hit the Bear".
Because it could get mad and a swipe of its paw could break a man's neck.