Wladimir Klitschko vs. Bryant Jennings: Time, Channel, Odds & Prediction

Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine and Bryant Jennings (Getty)

Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine and Bryant Jennings (Getty)

World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko defends his IBF, WBA, WBO, IBO, and RING titles against Bryant Jennings on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The fight will air on HBO’s World Championship Boxing at 10:00 PM ET/PT, Box Nation has the broadcast in the U.K. on Sunday at 02:00 AM.


Odds of Winning

Bryant Jennings punches Mike Perez (Getty)

Bryant Jennings punches Mike Perez (Getty)

Wladimir Klitschko enters the fight a heavy favorite in Vegas and on online sportsbooks (see odds below). Klitschko’s size advantage, experience, and impenetrable defense make the Ukrainian, by far, Jennings’ toughest test yet. But the rugged Philadelphian comes to his first major title bout undefeated and will be looking to make a name for himself with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

”This is the moment I have been waiting for,” said Jennings. “Now it’s time to bring the belts home.”

Olympic gold medalist Wladimir Klitschko (63-3, 53 KOs), the most dominant champion the heavyweight division has seen in recent history, returns to fight in the United States for the first time since 2008 to make his 18th consecutive world title defense.

Riding a 21-fight winning streak since his last defeat, at the hands of Lamon Brewster in 2004, Klitschko’s eight-year reign as a titleholder is second only to Joe Louis’s record of 11 years. 39-years-old Klitschko enters Saturday’s fight having flattened an undefeated Kubrat Pulev with a fifth-round knockout in November 2014.

Watch Steelhammer unleash beautiful havoc on his adversaries:

Bryant “By-By” Jennings (19-0,10 KOs) has worked his way up NBC Sports’ Fight Night shows and on to a main event on HBO. Jennings was last in action in July 2014, outpointing Cuban Mike Perez. Prior to the Perez fight, Jennings, 30 years old, knocked out Artur Szpilka in January of 2014 at Madison Square Gardens.

Perez and Szpilka had entered the ring against Jennings undefeated, both walk away with a loss.

Let’s take a look at the numbers for Saturday:

bet365:    Wladimir Klitschko -1600   Bryant Jennings +800

Coral:      Wladimir Klitschko -1200   Bryant Jennings +700

bWim:      Wladimir Klitschko -3300   Bryant Jennings +1150

SkyBETWladimir Klitschko -1400   Bryant Jennings +700


 Prediction

Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev eats a stiff jabs from Wladimir Klitschko (Getty)

Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev eats a stiff jabs from Wladimir Klitschko (Getty)

Jennings is an aggressive, high-volume grinder who brings athletic skills, speed, and ring smarts to the table. He sports a complete defensive game and excellent conditioning.

However, I see Jennings’ lack of power and experience (only 14 amateur fights, and 19 professional) as no match for Klitschko‘s pedigree (140 amateur contests, and 66 pro fights), his flagpole jab, his size, and his strength; and the American’s propensity to stand in front of his opponents and unload is tailor-made for a middle-round KO at the hands of Dr. Steelhammer.

Prediction: Wladimir Klitschko with a seventh-round TKO.

Watch Steelhammer sing a song for Bryant Jennings:

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