Lawsuit between Stallone and Wepner settles out of court
Money talked, as it always does, and the moolah made peace between Sylvester Stallone and Chuck Wepner, who sued the film icon for using him as inspiration for his Rocky movies without compensating him.
Lawyers for both sides filed notice in U.S. District Court last week that they have settled the 2003 lawsuit, filed by the Bayonne Bleeder, for undisclosed terms.
Wepner, who fought as a pro from1964-1978, said under oath that he was the inspiration for Stallone’s “Rocky Balboa” character, and that Sly never hooked him up with promised remuneration.
Wepner claimed that Stallone used his name to promote the “Rocky” flicks, while Stallone counterpunched that Wepner had already benefited immeasurably by making public appearances as “the real Rocky.”
Stallone has stated that he was working on a boxing screenplay when he watched Wepner, a balding liquor salesman, almost go the distance with Muhammad Ali in their 1975 scrap, and knock The Greatest to the canvas in the ninth round.
“What I saw was pretty extraordinary,” Stallone said during a 2001 interview that became part of a “Rocky” anniversary DVD. “I saw a man they call ‘the Bayonne Bleeder’ who didn’t have a chance at all against the greatest fighting machine supposedly that ever lived.”
Wepner, now 67, was a New Jersey club fighter whose soft skin led him to leave his blood on canvases across the US. He took stitches after almost every tussle and has been no stranger to the legal system since he left the fight game. Wepner was busted for coke peddling in 1986 and spent three years in the can…
He apparently didn’t learn his lesson and follow the straight and narrow path because in May, Wepner pleaded guilty to mail fraud in San Diego federal court for his role in a memorabilia scam and in June he was hit with a $2,000 fine and sentenced to a day in jail, 90 days’ home detention and three years’ probation for his part in hawking fake autographs from Ali and other legends, the Daily News said.
Investigators who searched Wepner’s home in March 2002 found 45 forged boxing posters, 120 forged Ali/Beatles photos, 37 forged Ali/Joe Frazier posters, 47 forged Ali/Elvis Presley photos and 21 forged Ali/Sonny Liston photos, the Daily News reported.
Dispite all the negatives in this article. I dare anyone to meet Chuck and and walk away not saying he is a Sweetheart. The man brightens up a room with his constant chatter which is always very entertaining. I would say that if he has a fault, its that he is easily mislead. I would bet my life that all his law problems were not his creation. He had to be approched and talked into getting involved. I have been in his company three times, total of maybe 20 mins. one on one. The guys is really a special person. If you see him stop and chat with him. He will love it, and you may not get a word in. Promise you will be entertained.