This Saturday’s HBO World Championship Boxing doubleheader is headlined by Wladimir Klitschko defending his heavyweight championship against Bryant Jennings.
The Klitschko vs. Jennings weigh-in was held today, and right here, you can find all the weights and details to take a final look ahead to tomorrow night. The HBO telecast, which kicks off from Madison Square Garden in New York City at 10pm, begins with an exciting 10-round welterweight showdown between Sadam Ali and Francisco Santana.
Klitschko vs. Jennings Weights
- Wladimir Klitschko: 241.6 lbs.
- Bryant Jennings: 226.8 lbs.
Ali vs. Santana
- Sadam Ali: 146.8 lbs.
- Francisco Santana: 146.4 lbs.
Here’s some of what Klitschko & Jennings have had to say. Klitschko —
“I remember before I went to the Olympics and former Olympic champion in track running, [Valeriy] Borzov, he was Minister of Sports in the Ukraine. He said, “Guys, you’re going to the Olympics and one of you is going to win gold. That’s going to change your life.”
“He was really right about it. I remember by winning the gold at the Olympics, when I came back home it completely changed my life.
“Sport definitely has power to change one’s life and the world, as Nelson Mandela said. When I became champion of the world in the heavyweight division, that was 15 years ago, in 2000, and it was an amazing moment.
“I do remember clearly how it was and it was additional motivation to keep doing what I was doing. I was only 24-years-old. I mean, very, very young, but I took it seriously and I was working up to it and I believed that my work was appreciated with my success in the ring and that I became champion,” he said.
“I definitely think that age is just a number. Actually, it’s a big advantage instead of disadvantage because with the age you’re getting better. With the right lifestyle there’s nothing that can go wrong.
“I’m really happy about the preparation [for this training camp] and I’m happy that I’m an athlete and I can get in the peak of my performance thanks to my experience. I’m looking forward to Saturday night.
“My sparring partners were 23, 25, 27, 29-years-old. It’s amazing and interesting that considering my age, I used to be the youngest in the gym all the time, and now it seems my sparring partners are much younger than me. I see myself in them and we work very well.”
Jennings:
“He has a great jab but I have an exceptional jab compared to his as well. He is one of the best athletes I’ve seen for that.
“There are definitely plenty of ways to actually get inside of a jab. Like lateral movement, head movement and relentless effort will definitely penetrate and make a change.
“I have 100% confidence in everything that I do. I had a great training camp. The way that we actually prepare to maneuver around the jab, I feel is effective and I have 100% faith in what we practiced. All I’m going to have to be is patient and be smart.”
Check back in with us after the fights for all of the post-fight coverage and aftermath. Will it be another successful, dominant outing for Klitschko? Or could Jennings pull off the upset that nobody else has been able to do in decade?
