By Jake Donovan

Bryant Jennings isn’t a fool. In fact, quite the opposite can be said of the articulate, grounded part-time poet and full-time unbeaten heavyweight contender.

The biggest challenge of his young career lies ahead, as he enters his 20th fight as a pro against long-reigning World heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko (63-3, 53KOs).

Klitschko’s current run of having held at least one major title back to April ’06, in his rematch win over Chris Byrd, with the exact nine-year anniversary coming three days before fight night. Jennings was still three years away from donning a pair of boxing gloves for the first time in the amateurs, already boasting more pro fights (19) than in the non-pay ranks (17).

Given the edge in experience, size and career achievements, it’s easy to see why Klitschko is an overwhelming favorite to once again defend his crown on April 25 at Madison Square Garden. Being the intelligent young man that he is, the 30-year old Philadelphia-bred challenger fully gets that.

“I know I’m a big underdog in this fight,” acknowledges Jennings (19-0, 10KOs). “I’ve been pretty much the underdog all my life. Most people focus on the inexperience part and the size part. Everyone has a different experience once they’re in the ring.

“I ask a different question once I’m done in the ring. Do I look inexperienced?”

The current top contender makes a valid point. Jennings was 11-0 heading into his breakout performance, a 10-round decision win over fellow unbeaten Maurice Byarm (13-0-1 at the time), a fight he accepted on short notice for no other reason than to help salvage the inaugural entry of Main Events’ now-defunct “Fight Night” series on NBC Sports Network.

From that point onward, just about everyone he’s faced has boasted far more experience, whether solely in the pro ranks or combined with extensive amateur career.

His first fight on HBO came last January, also marking his first career fight on Madison Square Garden property. The fight—a 10th round knockout of then-unbeaten Artur Szpilka—was his 18th as a pro, one more than the brief total he amassed during the amateurs from 2009 until his pro debut in Feb. ’10.

The April 25 showdown with Klitschko will mark his third straight both at Madison Square Garden (second in a row in the main room) and on HBO. It will be his first for a major title and—the way he sees it—not entirely unfathomable that the night ends with his first championship win, even when considering all that his opponent brings to the table.

“He appears to live a clean life, 100% athlete,” Jennings notes. “There’s a lot of things I’ll be taking on come April 25. There are some things I bring to the table as well. You’ve seen scenarios where the inexperience guy comes out on top. Everyone I’ve faced is more experienced than me.

“I first put on gloves six years ago and now I’m fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world.”

Klitschko has made 17 consecutive defenses of at least one belt during his current reign, including 10 successful defenses of the World lineal championship he acquired in 2009.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox