Andre The Giant versus Chuck Wepner: An RCM Historical Look Back
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Boxer versus wrestler on June 26,1976, and it was real. Chuck Wepner, The Bayonne Bleeder, who made it to the 15th round with Muhammad Ali, fought Andre the Giant, in a preliminary bout to Muhammad Ali versus wrestler Rocky Inoki. Ali versus Inoki was in Japan. Most of the 150 closed circuit television locations got to see Wepner versus Andre the Giant broadcast from Shea Stadium before Ali fought Inoki on closed circuit later that night.
Chuck Wepner versus Andre the Giant, Boxer versus Wrestler, June 1976, Shea Stadium
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQFLoPyHXsU
The concept was insane. Ali set conditions and restrictions, the most conspicuous was Inoki could only kick Ali if Inoki was on the floor of the ring. Wepner did not have such rules protections, and Andre the Giant made mincemeat out of poor Chuck. On the same card at Shea Stadium, WWWF champion Bruno Sammartino beat Stan Hansen via count out.
Ali landed only 12 punches of consequence on Inoki in his 15 round exhibition, Wepner, who refused headgear for this exhibition, fared far worse against Andre the Giant, who took Wepner’s best punches. Wepner could do little more than hook onto and grab the ropes to force the referee to make Andre to let go of his grip. Andre hit Wepner while Wepner was holding the ropes, Andre caring little for the referee and getting warned. Andre bear hugged Wepner and threw him to the floor, and eventually out of the ring. Wepner got counted out when Gorilla Monsoon interfered, not letting Wepner’s corner help Chuck to get back into the ring in time to resume the match. Wepner was still game.
Pandemonium broke loose as the corners feuded inside the ring, a melee, in the era before Andrew Golota versus Riddick Bowe.Wepner was booed. Andre the Giant, an extraordinary athlete in his time, was declared the winner at 1:15 of the third round. It appeared a ten cunt countout instead of 20 applied when Wepner got tossed out of the ring. Vince McMahon and the late Antonino Rocca provided commentary for the Shea Stadium portion of the closed circuit telecast. Wepner versus Andre the Giant, in my view, was the most unique of all such exhibition matches. At 6’5” and 232 pounds, Wepner had no chance of surviving ten rounds against the 450 pound Andre, but everybody either came out to watch or tuned in to watch the freak show.
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