'The Real Rocky' to air on ESPN

A documentary on the boxer who inspired the Rocky series will air Tuesday on ESPN.

The film, entitled The Real Rocky, focuses on boxer Chuck Wepner, whose 1975 fight with Muhammad Ali inspired Sylvester Stallone to write the script for the Oscar-winning movie Rocky (1976).

Wepner eventually sued Stallone, who wrote and starred in the movie, for not giving him a cut in the film, which spawned numerous sequels, most of which were directed by Stallone. Stallone had, over the years, promised him a part in one of his films. When that failed to materialize by 2003, Wepner took legal action. They eventually settled for an undisclosed amount.

Although he did not defeat Ali, Wepner became noted for being one of only four fighters to knock Ali down.
Wepner, nicknamed "The Bayonne Bleeder," would go on to wrestle Andre the Giant and a bear. He also battled cocaine use, which led to two years in prison.

Another film about Wepner, The Bleeder, is in the works with Liev Schreiber playing the boxer.

The Real Rocky airs at 8 p.m.