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Chuck: Long Awaited Movie about Boxing's Chuck Wepner Being Released Friday

Chuck Wepner
Doug Doyle for WBGO

The boxing movie, Chuck, is being released this Friday.  Boxing legend Chuck Wepner, known as the "Bayonne Bleeder" and his wife Linda joined SportsJam with Doug Doyle  in April of 2016 when the movie was to be titled The Bleeder

Wepner was the man who inspired Sylvester Stallone to write Rocky after Chuck's famous bout with Muhammad Ali in 1975.

Liev Schreiber and his wife Naomi Watts play the Wepners in Chuck.

Wepner also scored notable heavyweight wins over Randy Neumann and Ernie Terrell.

“I was never afraid in a fight. The only thing I was ever afraid of was not doing well, and letting my people down.”

Wepner works today with his wife Linda in the liquor store management field in Carlstadt, New Jersey.  Linda says it's been a wonderful life with her husband and is looking forward to the film.

“It’s been a wonderful ride. I’ve loved every minute of it, and we’re just going to keep on going.”

Liev Schreiber
Credit Doug Doyle for WBGO
Liev Schreiber plays Chuck Wepner is the movie about the Bayonne Bleeder's life

Wepner says he's thrilled Liev Schreiber is portraying him and was able to chat with the popular film and stage actor.

“It’s great. It’s great seeing a film being made about your life, and to have some input in the film.”

Wepner finished his career with 17 knockouts.

“I was a brawler, I was never a great fighter. I was just a tough guy who could take a really good punch.”

The heavyweight says the only time was ever really hurt in a fight was when he faced the great Sonny Liston in a bout at the Armory in Jersey City where the doctors stopped the fight. 

"They asked Sonny Liston if I was the toughest guy he ever fought, he said "I wouldn't want to meet him in an alley, coming from someone like Sonny Liston was a compliment. Sonny Liston was the biggest puncher I ever fought. Couple times I felt things crack when he hit me, my nose my cheekbone started hurting, great jab."

Chuck Wepner
Credit Linda Wepner for WBGO
SportsJam host Doug Doyle visited Chuck Wepner at the boxing legend's home for this edition of the show

Wepner endured some rough matches and shots to the face.

The nose, believe it or not, was not a serious injury. It was reconstructed when I finished boxing, by a doctor from Staten Island who said to me, I'm going to give you a new nose Chuck, who do you want to look like? I said how about Debbie Reynolds."

Click above to hear the entire 2016 SportsJam interview with Chuck and Linda Wepner.

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Doug Doyle has been News Director at WBGO since 1998 and has taken his department to new heights in coverage and recognition. Doug and his staff have received more than 250 awards from organizations like PRNDI (now PMJA), AP, New York Association of Black Journalists, Garden State Association of Black Journalists and the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists.