BAYONNE -- When Mr. Shi visited his property last Monday, he was shocked to find a mural of a towering, championship-belted boxer in a fighting pose affixed to the side of his three-story building.

The 35-year-old Bayonne resident, who co-owns 737 Broadway with his family, told The Jersey Journal on the phone that city officials never told him they had planned on putting up a mural of "real Rocky" Chuck Wepner.

"I never got any emails or any phone calls," said Shi, who declined to give his full name. "If someone did something to your building, what would you think?"

Upon seeing the mural, Shi, who didn't even know who Chuck Wepner was, gave his lawyer a call. In the discussions with the city that followed, and which are still ongoing, he "found out everything about it."

He said his family and the city are still talking about how to resolve the problem, and added that he is "sort of angry" but also understands what the city is trying to do.



"They're trying to promote whatever the person is," Shi said, noting that he isn't sure at this point whether he wants the mural to be taken down.

The Bayonne Community Development Office, which organized the mural's painting and installment, didn't immediately respond for comment when asked how the city neglected to ask the building's owner for permission.

The owner of Andrew's Cafe, which is the storefront at 737 Broadway, told The Jersey Journal today that city officials had asked him months ago if it'd be okay to put up a mural of Chuck Wepner.

"I said 'For me, no objection,'" Vasantha M. Perera said.

Perera said he thought city officials had already asked the building's owner for permission at that point, and that they were just additionally asking businesses in the area if it'd be all right to go ahead with their plan.

"The city should know from the city's tax collector office who owns the building," he said. "I completely thought (city officials) got approval from (the owner)."

A quick online search of public tax records would've also shown that "Shi Investments LLC" is listed as the building's owner.

The mural of Wepner was unveiled earlier this year at the Bayonne Community Museum to a crowd of nearly 200 people.

Local media coverage of the honorary piece of art, including the city's plan to put it on the side of Andrew's Cafe, began before artists began painting it, and continued until it was affixed on the side of 737 Broadway on June 14.

Wepner fought Muhammad Ali on March 24, 1975, going 15 rounds with Ali and knocking him down at one point, although some people contend the knockdown was probably helped by Wepner's foot being on top of Ali's.

Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.