Page "Chuck Wepner" Paragraph 3

Then, in 1975, it was announced Wepner would challenge Muhammad Ali for the world's Heavyweight title.

According to a Time magazine article, " In Stitches ", Ali was guaranteed $ 1. 5 million and Wepner signed for $ 100, 000.

This was considerably more than Wepner had ever earned and he therefore did not need any coaxing.

Wepner spent eight weeks near the Catskill Mountains under the guidance of Al Braverman ( manager ) and Bill Prezant ( trainer and noted cutman ).

Prezant prophesied that the fight would be a big surprise.

This bout was the first time Wepner had been able to train full time.

The fight was held on March 24 at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio south of Cleveland.

Before the fight, a reporter asked Wepner if he thought he could survive in the ring with the champion, to which Wepner allegedly answered, " I've been a survivor my whole life ... if I survived the Marines, I can survive Ali.