Chuck Wepner, ‘The Bayonne Bleeder”

Please join the Bayonne community in raising funds for the commissioning of a Chuck Wepner Bronze Statue in honor of our very own hometown celebrity!

All donors in support of the commissioning of this sculpture will receive a VIP invitation to the unveiling of the Chuck Wepner Bronze Sculpture. Donations of $500+ will also receive an autographed boxing glove from Mr. Wepner!

Chuck Wepner aka The Bayonne Bleeder, was the inspiration that ignited Sylvester Stallone with the creation of the Rocky movie franchise! Wepner was a heavyweight pro boxer from 1964-1978 with a final record of 35 wins – 14 losses – 2 draws. Wepner was a real-life tough guy as he grew up on the streets of Bayonne, learning to survive and serving in the U.S. Marine Corp. He honed his boxing skills as a member of the Marine Corp boxing team and became a champion on his military base.

Chuck Wepner’s claim to fame in boxing was his ability to withstand punishment. His bout with Muhammad Ali was a testament to this and Wepner’s nickname of the Bayonne Bleeder was justified once more during the fight with Ali! The Bayonne Brawler’s other famous opponents include George Foreman and Sonny Liston.

If you’re not familiar with Chuck Wepner you can check out ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary called the “Real Rocky“. The bio epic film “Chuck” (2016) starring Liev Schreiber is also a good resource into Wepner’s life. In 2017, Chuck Wepner was inducted into the NJ Hall of Fame.