Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner

2014-10-16T05:28:46Z

Dougpaulsen: /* Wepner stepped on Ali's foot? */

[[File:T1larg.wepner.ali.si.jpg|right|450px]]
[[File:MuhammadAli ChuckWepner Program.jpeg|left|thumb]]
<fight>22898</fight>
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Ali)<br>
*'''[[World Boxing Association]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Ali)<br>
*[[:File:Wepner on Ali foot.jpg|Photo: Ali goes down in round nine]]
*[[:File:Ali Wepner BE056182.jpg|Photo: Wepner goes down in round fifteen]]
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== Notes ==
* Ali earned $1.6 million and Wepner made $100,000.
* The fight was shown on closed circuit TV in 150 locations.
* There was a crowd of 14,847 at the Richfield Coliseum.
* Ali was a 10 to 1 betting favorite.
* Ali toyed with Wepner through the first eight rounds.
* In the ninth round, Wepner stepped on Ali's foot and hit him with a right to the ribs, which knocked the champion flat on his back for an official knockdown.
* This video don't show Wepner 'stepped on Ali's foot' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJOukckENBY
* After the knockdown, Ali started to fight with more purpose and dominated rounds ten through fifteen.
* In the fifteenth round, Ali battered Wepner until the "Bayonne Bleeder" crumpled into the ropes. Wepner struggled to get up, and the referee stopped the fight.
* Wepner's gutsy performance against Ali inspired [[Sylvester Stallone]] to write the Oscar-winning film [[Rocky (Film)|''Rocky'']].

==Articles==
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19750324&id=sOQNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iW0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5912,2713151 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - March 24, 1975]
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19750325&id=2d8jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7CgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6876,2371884 The Milwaukee Journal - March 25, 1975]

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Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner