One cold autumn afternoon, Chuck Wepner went to a bar, after receiving the call from his representative, he still had not finished digesting the news. The fight had been confirmed for a hundred thousand dollars, it was going to be a full arena and nationally televised. Finally came the opportunity he had been waiting for, he would face 15 rounds against the greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali. He lost the option to fight George Foreman, due to Ali regaining his crown, but he was happy to get this fight despite his 37 years, after all recently Ali proved he was a better fighter than Foreman.
Chuck ordered a beer and while he waited he looked through the newspaper that some sloppy customer had left at the bar, reading the sports section, he noticed that they had already got the scoop, even before him. When I finished reading the article he crumpled the paper and threw it on the floor, I am not a "package, I will never be" he thought visibly mortified, he left the bar without finishing his beer.
As soon as he got home he called his representative.
- Larry, have you read the newspapers? "Chuck asked without saying hello. Sure, champ, everyone's talking about your fight," replied Larry in a voice markedly affected by countless cigarettes. I'm not a pack! - Chuck snapped, raising his voice. Calm Chuck, you know what the press is like - He answered while lighting a cigarette. You have earned the right, take it easy and enjoy the moment - Larry added after a few seconds, while listening to the heavy breathing from Chuck on the other end of the receiver. No Larry, my moment will come after the fight, not before. This will be my fight. I'll make those damn reporters swallow their words one by one. It's your decision, "Larry told him, quite surprised, he didn't remember seeing such determination in Chuck on any other occasion. People will remember me,you can be sure of that - Chuck added before saying goodbye and cutting off the call.
At least not all the press was bad, Sports Illustrated published an article with the following sentence: “A wide block of heart and dreams, one of the last club fighters, the kind who give you everything they have, who convert to the ring in a purple sea and they keep asking for more ”. The article clipping was sent to him by his representative before the fight. Chuck had it framed and hung in his living room.
The big day came Chuck was heading to the ring escorted by his trainers, he looked at the ground, his head was a whirlwind of ideas, he remembered his old dreams of youth and he thought about the decline of his career, which was getting closer and closer.
The presenter takes the microphone, first introduces Wepner, a boo is heard, many had attended only to see him get knocked out. Then they introduce Ali, shouts and applause are heard.
The bell rings, the fight begins with Ali quite agile, at the height of his career, dancing, jumping and throwing accurate blows to the face, while Wepner applied the only boxing style he knew, inelegant and combative, advancing and throwing punches to your opponent's ribs. At the end of the third round Wepner had received several blows, so as he approaches his corner he asks his trainer to promise him that he will not stop the fight for any reason.
The fourth round begins with the same trend, an elusive Ali who threw constant blows that did a lot of damage to Wepner's face, but this did not prevent him from showing the power of his punch to the champion, forcing him to take refuge in the ropes on several occasions. Before starting the seventh round, Ali tells Angelo Dundee "I hit him like a bastard and he keeps moving forward."
At the beginning of the ninth round Chuck decides to attack with more force and manages to connect the left side of the champion's face, sends him to the canvas, something that other younger boxers had not achieved for several years, but Ali recovers and seeks to match the assault.
From the tenth round, Ali increases his attacks and the continuous blows gradually undermine the resistance of Wepner, who despite the punishment did not give up in his search for victory and continued to connect Ali every time he had the opportunity to do so. Chuck approaches his corner at the end of the twelfth round.
- I see your eyebrows very damaged, tell me how many fingers do you see? - Joe asks Chuck, while showing him four fingers of his hand. Three - Answers wheezing. Starting this round, I'm going to stop the fight - He answers laconically. Fulfill your promise, you promised Joe! The referee is coming, please help me, don't let him stop the fight - Chuck begged Joe. Joe stood behind Chuck, glued to his back, silently observing how the referee held his chin to better observe his eyebrows. How many fingers do you see? - The referee asked Chuck, immediately Joe gave him three pinches on his back. Three - Chuck shouted. OK. Get ready to continue the fight - He said as he went to the center of the ring. Thank you - Chuck whispered, as he turned to see the face of his trainer.
At the beginning of the fourteenth round, Ali also looked quite tired and his dance on the canvas had lost dynamics, but he did not stop throwing the best blows, he thought that perhaps not even with a bat he would be able to knock out this man with fragile eyebrows and unbreakable spirit. Almost at the end of the last round the champion decides to attack with his best repertoire, throwing a series of direct jabs to the battered face of Wepner, who was partially blinded by the blood that fell from his eyebrows, finally he connects a powerful cross forehand that goes straight to the face, Chuck falls against the ropes a few seconds after the end of the last round, quite stunned he looks around his corner looking desperately for the face of his coach, then the referee falls with open arms on his chest and stops the fight,even though Chuck had gotten to his feet, it was impossible for him to continue. Ali raises his arms and begins to celebrate his victory.
Joe runs to hold Chuck, he could barely stand. As he reaches his corner, he leans his tired face against his coach's and whispers in his ear: "Joe, I won, it was my biggest win." To which Joe replied: "do not talk anymore rest, you fought like a champion, in the eyes of all you are a champion."
The story in this article, which contains fragments of fiction, is based on one of the most memorable fights in boxing history, between reigning world champion Muhammad Ali and challenger Chuck Wepner, a tireless 37-year-old striker. Chuck losing the fight becomes a winner, he focused on surpassing himself, to finally get the best possible result. Chuck Wepner, better known as The Bledeer of Bayonee (The Bledeer of Bayonee, his hometown) gave us one of the most memorable fights in the history of boxing, when precisely the majority thought it would be one more fight and a forgettable statistic in the record by Muhammad Ali.
Thank you Chuck for this indelible example of motivation and persistence in achieving a goal.
