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Stallone sued over Rocky
13/11/2003 07:08 - (SA)
New York - Former heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner is suing actor Sylvester Stallone, claiming Rocky was the story of his life, for which he was not paid, his lawyer said on Wednesday.
Wepner wants $15 million of the more than a billion he said the Rocky films have earned since the series began in 1976, lawyer Anthony Mango said.
"The fact that (Stallone) based a movie on him, it's not illegal, and we don't have a problem with that," Mango said.
"It's that he uses his name constantly - everyday - without compensation."
Stallone attended a bloody bout between Wepner and Muhammad Ali in Richfield, Ohio. That night in 1975, odds were 30 to one that Ali would win in the third round.
But Wepner withstood 15 rounds, knocking Ali to the canvas in the ninth - all to lose by a technical knock-out.
"Sly (Stallone) called me about two weeks after the Ali fight and told me he was gonna make da' movie," Kepner's website said.
"When da' first Rocky movie was released, I was happy.
"Years later, I met Stallone and upon meeting me, he spontaneously cheered, 'Hay, Chuck, thanks!' ... I guess for da' inspiration."
"Defendant has capitalised, and continues to capitalise, on the fact that using Wepner's name in conjunction with the Rocky franchise adds an element of reality to the product defendant is selling," said the lawsuit.
As the Rocky website tells it: "Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is a Philadelphia club fighter who seems to be going nowhere.
"But when a stroke of fate puts him in a ring with the world heavyweight champion, Rocky knows that it's his one shot at the big time - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to 'go the distance' and come out a winner!"
"Rocky" must now prove himself before the State Superior Court in Jersey City.
- AFP
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South Africa
