Bryant Jennings signs with Top Rank

Top Rank has a pretty bare cupboard in the heavyweight division, but Bob Arum has decided to reinvest and has just signed former title contender Bryant Jennings to a promotional deal according to ESPN.

"We can do some decent business with him," Arum told ESPN on Monday. "We're going to build him back up, and we think he's competitive with guys like Joseph Parker, Andy Ruiz and maybe even [world titleholder] Anthony Joshua -- although Joshua looked pretty awesome against [Wladimir] Klitschko, even though he was in trouble for a little while. Jennings, when he gets back in the saddle, fits in with guys like that."

Jennings (19-2, 10 KOs) has been out of action since late 2015 and has lost two consecutive fights. The first was his world title opportunity against Wladimir Klitschko in early 2014, a fight he lost by unanimous decision. Jennings would then take on Luis Ortiz in an interim WBA title fight in December 2015, in a fight where Jennings would get stopped in seven rounds.

Jennings hasn’t fought in a year-and-a-half since then, but he still feels like he’s in condition to compete with anyone in the world.

"I'm the best-conditioned heavyweight in boxing, and my ultimate goal is to win a world title for Bob Arum at Top Rank. He deserves it," said Jennings, who is vegan. "And being with Top Rank means I will get an opportunity to fight for a world title. I have the strength, desire and the smartness in the ring to get that world title. This is such an opportunity for me being with Top Rank."

According to Arum, Jennings’ first fight under the Top Rank banner will take place on the Terence Crawford undercard later this summer.