The current heavyweight division is pretty hot right now, with a number of contenders fighting to earn a shot at one of the ruling champions. We’ve just seen Britain’s Dillian Whyte emerge as a serious contender and threat to just about anybody via his brutal destruction of Lucas Browne, while other heavyweights, such as Dominic Breazeale and Jarrell Miller lurk in the background.
One other talented heavyweight we should not forget about is Philadelphia’s Bryant Jennings. Jennings, though beaten by Wladimir Klitschko and Luis Ortiz, has been quietly rebuilding since the stoppage loss to Ortiz. And on April 28 in his hometown, on the under-card of Jessie Magdaleno-Isaac Dogboe, Jennings, 22-2(13) will face local rival Joey Dawejko, 19-4-4(11) in what promoter Russel Peltz told ESPN.com is “the biggest Philly versus Philly fight in 36 years.”
Jennings and Dawejko have fought before, with Dawejko getting the upper-hand at amateur level, and this, Peltz says, is another of the subplots that makes this match-up such a good one.
“In my opinion, Dawejko versus Jennings is the biggest Philly versus Philly fight in 36 years,” Peltz said. “I have to go all the way back to 1982 when Jeff Chandler defended his WBA bantamweight title against former high-school classmate Johnny Carter. There have been other outstanding all-Philly fights since then, but they pale in comparison to Dawejko versus Jennings.”
Peltz is high on this fight, as you can tell. So too is Jennings, who needs to win if he’s to ever get a second world title chance.
“I’m very excited for this all-Philly battle,” Jennings, known as “By-By,” said. “After I beat Joey Dawejko, I hope to one day fight for, and defend, the heavyweight title in Philadelphia.”
Dawejko has other ideas.
“If he feels he got hosed in our amateur fight, I’m gonna down that M**** F***** in our pro fight,” he said.
With plenty on the line, not least Philly bragging rights, this one could be lively, a “fun fight” if you like. The more experienced (at pro level) Jennings has to be the pick to win, but Dawejko, who has been stopped just once (by future IBF heavyweight champ Charles Martin) is certainly coming to fight. A relatively short heavyweight at 5’10,” Dawejko has a fan-friendly style and he can punch.
Jennings though, the older man by six years at age 33, has won his last three and feels he can rule the world one day. He has to rule Philadelphia first.
