The Real Rocky
“Millions watched a movie. One man lived it.”
2011•55m•6.1•Released
Documentary
Chuck Wepner is a liquor salesman from Bayonne, N.J., who drives a Cadillac with “Champ” vanity plates. A former New Jersey State Heavyweight Boxing Champion, he took abuse from Sonny Liston, got his nose broken by Muhammad Ali, and inspired Sylvester Stallone to write “Rocky” which won three Academy Awards. Wepner was left out of the “Rocky” glory, and his career took turn after strange turn as he worked to stay in the spotlight: he went on to fight Andre the Giant as “The Assassin” and boxed a 900 pound bear. Twice.
Director
Jeff Feuerzeig
Languages
English
Studio
ESPN Films
Cast
Chuck Wepner
Self
Sylvester Stallone
Self
Muhammad Ali
Self (archive footage)
George Foreman
Self
Don King
Self
Vince McMahon
Self
Sonny Liston
Self (archive footage)
Mike Douglas
Self (archive footage)
James Brown
Self (archive footage)
Hulk Hogan
Self (archive footage)
André Roussimoff
Self (archive footage)
Howard Cosell
Self (archive footage)
Irwin Winkler
Self
Jake LaMotta
Self (archive footage)
Jerry Izenberg
Self
Production
Company
ESPN Films
Company
ESPN
Producer
Matt McDonald
Producer
Andrew Billman
Recommended
6.3
Champs
2015
7.1
The Class of ‘92
2013
6.9
Conor McGregor: Notorious
2017
6.7
I Am Ali
2014
6.7
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
2020
6.7
Ronnie Coleman: The King
2018
6.8
Generation Iron 2
2017
6.7
Gilbert
2017
7.1
I Am Chris Farley
2015
7
Ronaldo
2015
7.4
Red Army
2015
7.8
Being James Bond
2021
7.6
Hawking
2013
7
Bobby Robson: More Than a Manager
2018
7.4
I Am Heath Ledger
2017
7.5
Listen to Me Marlon
2015
6
Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me
2023
7.6
Icarus
2017
6.3
Jackie Chan: My Story
1998
6.9
Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin
2003
Similar Movies
6
Le conte de Monte-Carlo
2025
Fúria
2013
7
Fly
2024
8.4
Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time
2011
7.2
Of Miracles and Men
2015
7.8
Thug Rose: Mixed Martial Artist
2023
7.2
Kilian Jornet, Path to Everest
2018
6.4
Weekend of a Champion
2013
Joe, Tomorrow
2015
Great North: A Run. A River. A Region.
2021
6.6
Sole Man
2015
6.3
Angry Sky
2015
The Saint of Brooklyn
2025
10
John Cena's Greatest Rivalries
2022
7
I Hate Christian Laettner
2015
7.5
Athlete A
2020
Jannik Sinner: The Return
2025
7.7
Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off
2022
10
Masters of Stone 1
1991
7.6
The Deepest Breath
2023