Klitschko-Jennings Tip the Scales in the Big Apple

By Boxing News - 04/24/2015 - Comments

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Michael Montero, New York – A buzzing crowd of international media and fans came to New York’s famed Madison Square Garden to see heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and undefeated Bryant Jennings hit the scales. Both athletes have been professional and workmanlike throughout media week, with some light trash talk back and forth. It all culminated this afternoon in the last obligatory task before they meet in the ring tomorrow night.

The untelevised undercard fighters, featuring several up and coming prospects, weighed in first. Current #2 ranked heavyweight (IBF) Charles Martin (20-0-1, 18KO), an American, hit the scales at 243.6 pounds, while his opponent Tom Dallas (17-4, 12KO), of England, came in at 223. Ukrainian cruiserweight Iago Kiladze (22-1, 15KO) and Chicago-bred lightweight Kenneth Simms Jr (5-0, 2) and their opponent s all made weight. The co-feature fighters, Brooklyn’s Sadam Ali (21-0, 13KO) and Francisco Santana (22-3-1, 11KO), weighed in next. Ali came in at 146.8 pounds and Santana, of Santa Barbara California, weighed 146.4.

Now it was time for the main event fighters to hit the stage. Philadelphia native Bryant Jennings (19-0, 10KO) was introduced by HBO’s Michael Buffer; he calmly walked out from behind the stage, stepped up to the scale and took his shirt off. Next the champion was announced, but there was no sign of him anywhere. After a minute or so, Wladimir Klitschko (63-3, 53KO) and team were spotted walking down a stairway from a balcony above the room. They took their time coming down the steps, walking around the media crowd and making their way onto the stage. Was all of this just another part of the mind games Wlad has been trying to employ throughout the media tour? Delayed entry and all, the challenger took it in stride. All the while, chats of “let’s go champ!” could be heard from former heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs, who crashed the Klitschko party once again.

Jennings weighed in at 226.8 pounds while Klitschko weight 241.6 – consistent for both fighters throughout their careers. It’s very fitting (and refreshing) that in a fight for the legitimate heavyweight championship of the world, in one of boxing’s most storied venues, both athletes showed up in outstanding form. The stare down was intense as the big men locked in a stare, refusing to budge, for over a minute until they were broken up. Everything is set for a fantastic heavyweight fight tomorrow night in New York.

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