<P> After the fight, the sportscasters and the audience go wild . Jergens announces over the loudspeaker that the fight was "the greatest exhibition of guts and stamina in the history of the ring", and Rocky calls out repeatedly for Adrian, who runs down and comes into the ring as Paulie distracts arena security . As Jergens declares Creed the winner by virtue of a split decision (8: 7, 7: 8, 9: 6), Adrian and Rocky embrace and profess their love to each other, not caring about the result of the fight . </P> <P> Sylvester Stallone wrote the screenplay for Rocky in three and a half days, shortly after watching the championship match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner that took place at Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio on March 24, 1975 . Wepner was TKO'd in the 15th round of the match by Ali, with few expecting him to last as long as he did . Despite the fact that the match motivated Stallone to begin work on Rocky, he has subsequently denied that Wepner provided any inspiration for the script . Other possible inspirations for the film may have included characteristics of real - life boxers Rocky Marciano and Joe Frazier, as well as Rocky Graziano's autobiography Somebody Up There Likes Me and the movie of the same name . Wepner filed a lawsuit which was eventually settled with Stallone for an undisclosed amount . </P> <P> United Artists liked Stallone's script, and viewed it as a possible mode of transportation for a well - established star such as Robert Redford, Ryan O'Neal, Burt Reynolds, or James Caan . Stallone insisted upon portraying the title character himself, to the point of issuing an ultimatum . Stallone later said that he would never have forgiven himself, had the film become a success with somebody else in the lead . He also knew that producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff's contract with the studio enabled them to "greenlight" a project if the budget was kept low enough . The producers also collateralized any possible losses with their big - budget entry, New York, New York (whose eventual losses were covered by Rocky's success). The film's production budget ended up being $1,075,000, with a further $100,000 spent on producers' fees and $4.2 million on advertising costs . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> Role </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Sylvester Stallone </Td> <Th> </Th> <Td> Robert "Rocky" Balboa, Sr . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Talia Shire </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Adrianna "Adrian" Pennino </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Burt Young </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Paulie Pennino </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Carl Weathers </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Apollo Creed </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Burgess Meredith </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Mickey Goldmill </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Thayer David </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> George Jergens </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Joe Spinell </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Tony Gazzo </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tony Burton </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Tony "Duke" Evers </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Pedro Lovell </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Spider Rico </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who did the studio want to play rocky
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