CHEZ CONTENT: JENNINGS KEEPING POSITIVE OUTLOOK AFTER LOSING PARKER FIGHT

boxingtalk.com
By G. Leon

Philly heavyweight gives Boxingtalk interview from France

I imagine you were feeling really good when you thought you’d be fighting Joseph Parker next and then became quite frustrated after learning of that opportunity eluding you. It’s all part of the game man. From a boxer’s point of view, for me not fighting Parker isn’t something that’s been tough for me deal with because it was poor ethics by Parker’s promoters end. They’re the ones that I feel cross at, but I look at it like it is what it is. It’s something that I wouldn’t do, but it’s something that’s out of my hands. It’s all good, it’s just something that happens in boxing. I just keep it moving, I’m not dwelling on it at all.

GL: And you’re still going to be fighting in August which will be your second fight in a short amount of time, so as long as you keep that activity level up it’s only going to be a matter of time before good things happen.

Bryant Jennings: (laughs) “I mean, yeah. I can’t complain about that.”

GL: Are you hoping that the replacement for Parker is going to be somebody in the top ten or fifteen?

BJ: “Well…well, it’s been a hell of a week. This just in, we threw an offer to (Carlos) Takam and he declined, then two days later we see what they was working on, which was Takam and Chisora. We’ve had a couple of other guys that we threw offers to that turned it down, right now they’ve got a guy for me and they’re saying that he’s the only one that’s accepting to take the fight. The name I got isn’t in the top ten or top fifteen, but if this is what I’ve got to do then this is what I’m going to do.”

GL: Who’s the guy?

BJ: “I can’t give that to you yet. We need to have a signed deal this time.”

GL: So you tell me this just in, but can’t give me the name of the guy.

BJ: “Right now the heavyweight division is really crowded and we’ve reached out to a number of fighters who didn’t take it. After this Parker thing I’m not announcing any fights until I know they’re signed off on. If another’s stay busy fight or a step up fight I’m fine with both. We’re abiding by the date and I just need to stay active like you said. Everything is moving in the right direction and after this fight we’re going to keep looking to step it up.”

GL Are you disappointed that Andy Ruiz hasn’t come up since he’s also promoted by Top Rank and gave Joseph Parker a difficult fight.

BJ: “I’m not disappointed because I believe there’s another plan in place with Andy. There might be a reason why his name was not brought up. We were never in any talks about Andy, so he might be on a different path. The fact that his name hasn’t come up isn’t disappointing though, we’ve all got to take our own steps.”

GL: What are you doing out in France?

BJ: “Working.”

GL: That’s a long way from Philly just to get some work.

BJ: (laughs) “Yeah, but I move all around. If I wasn’t obligated to do other things I’d be moving around even more, but I’ve got to stick to my plan and keep doing what I’ve got to do.”

GL: Closing thoughts?

BJ: “I’ll be back in the ring in August and I’m going to do my thing. The better the fighter, the better the Jennings you’ll see.”