I know. It didn't even feel like a title fight at all. Nobody gave a ****, not even HBO or SHO..just wow.
Too small, too green, too lacking in any special qualities whatsoever. Just a basic, solid heavyweight - but that is still better than anything the US has produced in quite some time and he will be up there on the shortlist of "best 3-4 Wladimir Klitshcko opponents in the last decade" and possibly ahead of Thompson and Chambers as the best American.
Maybe HBO doesn't think Jenning will pull it off, but it could set the stage for Wlad unifying vs. Stiverne or even more so vs. Wilder. HBO needs US tune-up fight for Wlad before marketing a big unification.
I'm down. Plus, this would probably be the last chance for me to see Wlad fight in person. I won't be missing it should it take place at MSG :deal
To be fair with Jennings, his last two fights were against undefeated opponents with contender level.. Jennings is quick and has a long reach with 213 cm.. For me that fight would absolutely be ok for a voluntary defense, which voluntary from Wlad was better the last years?
Anyways its nice to see HBO taking the HW division seriously again, even if this fight does not happen.
Indeed... Criticize the talent pool in the HW division all you want, but what's really hurt it more than anything else is the abandonment of it by the big American networks, it's shifted over to Europe for a reason.
Ok cool so that's another $5 million minimum on top of the $3 million he'd get from HBO which means a minimum combined purse of $8 million. $6 million for Wlad and $2 million for Jennings could possibly be enough to make this fight a reality. Let's hope they can bang out a deal.
Peaks and valleys. Just like the Murican landscape. **** YEAH! atriot serious IB addendum: I don't actually think 6'3" is too small in general terms, like Jennings ought to be a Cruiser or anything, just to be clear. I mean among the many qualities that Jennings shared with every other HW on the planet that leave them all coming up short in having any chance to beat a still able-bodied WK, the height and length to not be a lightning rod for his jab and to neutralize it with a rangier and more educated one (as likely to exist as the half-Yeti progeny of Niko rumored in those rotten tabloids...he and the nice Yeti lady were just friends, he was teaching her ESL (and Russian as first language, and Swahili as third) and he would never cheat on Galina :bart) is one such quality. Just in case that needed clarifying. Which it didn't. But there you go.
Jennings has beaten some decent journeyman and up and coming prospects. He is perhaps the best the USA has. I hope to see this one soon. After that, Briggs on HBO, then Wilder if he wins.
Jennings only had 19 fights but he's been matched tough so far. He's knoced off some tough journeymen, a solid prospect, and a top 10-15 guy. Not bad for 19 fights. I'd prefer to see him pick another quality win or two before facing Wlad but I still like this fight. Jennings may be a long shot but he's a solid contender and would come to fight.