Rick Reeno

BoxingScene.com has been advised that a deal is very close for a heavyweight showdown between Bryant Jennings (17-0, 9KOs) and Mariusz Wach (27-1, 15KOs), for January 18th at the Bell Center in Montreal, Canada. The fight will be part of the HBO televised card that features a light heavyweight grudge match between Canadian superstars Lucian Bute and Jean Pascal.

Jennings' manager, James Prince, was told by their promoter Gary Shaw that he was putting the finishing touches on the Wach deal.

Shaw recently signed Jennings after the boxer parted ways with promoters Russell Peltz and Main Events. Prince credits Shaw with getting Jennings ranked within the top five of the WBC and WBA.

"I'm very happy, because now Bryant is going to get his chance to fight on HBO and show the entire world what he can do," Prince told BoxingScene.com.

Wach, standing at nearly 6'8 and usually weighing around 250-pounds, was last seen in December of 2012 - when he lost a twelve round unanimous decision to heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko. Following the match, Wach tested positive for a banned substance and he was suspended for several months.

Jennings was last seen in the ring in June of this year, when he stopped Andrey Fedosov in six rounds.