"It's been since April, about 4 months of training, and I'm mentally stable, I'm physically stable, and I'm just patiently waitingÂ… we will find out which Mike Perez will be in the ring with me that night. I'm ready for whichever one shows up," stated heavyweight contender Bryant Jennings, who gave us an update from training camp as he prepares for his upcoming July 26 showdown with Mike Perez. Check out what else he had to say!
PC: Your fight against Mike Perez is right around corner. How is training going?
BJ: Ah man, training is going good, man. I don't know where I get it from, to have this type of focus for such a long period of time. You know, I've never been here before, but I'm doing it well. It's been since April, about 4 months of training, and I'm mentally stable, I'm physically stable, and I'm just patiently waiting.
PC: What was the reaction when you got the news that Mike had injured his shoulder and the fight would be rescheduled?
BJ: Well, you know, I probably was a lil' injured then too because you know I push myself to the limit. I had some time to take a week off and get some other business taken care of, but it was time much needed, but I was definitely ready for the fight. But I took a couple of weeks actually to chill and relax and let my body come back down and then I was right back at it; literally right back at it.
PC: Did the postponement also allow you some more time to break down Mike Perez as a fighter or do you feel like you were already up to speed on him?
BJ: I don't play when it comes to training and I don't play when it comes to my craft, so if I don't have enough time, we in trouble. But I figured that out almost immediately. It's not rocket science. I'm at this level right now and I'm at that point in my career and I don't ever see that happening in my career is me not being prepared or needing more time. I'll always be ready.
PC: He's known as a shorter heavyweight. Now that you have had a chance to size him up, is he what you expected; bigger, smaller?
BJ: Nah, he's bout what I imagined. It's nothing to do with what it's going to be in the ring. I never underestimate any opponent. I remember some people underestimating Andrey Fedosov when I put the pictures up of him on Facebook and Instagram and they were saying, "Ah man, you got this. Why they doing this to that dude?" I knew exactly what he could bring, but nobody else knew. So I don't ever let the looks of an opponent make up my mind. I wait until we get in the ring and then we find out what he brings. So we will find out which Mike Perez will be in the ring with me that night. I'm ready for whichever one shows up.
PC: We have seen him in dog fights just like we have seen him a little passive. Based on your style, what type of fight are you expecting from him?
BJ: It's not so much what I'm expecting; it's more so of how he plans to approach me. I'm ready for all of it. I'm very well prepared.
PC: Being that the big boys, the heavyweights, are known for engaging right away and you like to try and establish your jab and feel guys out, do you feel you have got the label as a slow starter?
BJ: You know, that's why it's called the Sweet Science. When I'm in there, it's not somebody that I fought before, it's not a rematch, so I don't know how this guy is going to come out. So you definitely have to feel 'em out. Even when you going to war, you have to scope the scene out and plot your tactics; even if you are doing something bad like a robbery, you just don't go and do it. You gotta scope it out. Every tactic, you have to scope it out. So come July 26th, it's an actual fight, so I can't just go in there and have an all-out war.
PC: This is your second consecutive fight at Madison Square Garden. That's gotta be a great feeling to fight in that place.
BJ: Yeah, I just credit myself with the way I thought out my whole career, and when I say that, that includes everybody that I added on. My manager, J Prince, he definitely changed the way I think, not only in business, but in life. It just strengthened my morals because those were the things left in question in my life and I found somebody that can pretty much secure my morals and he helped me be exactly who I am. He helped me express that. So shout out to my manager, J Prince, all the time, man. And the addition of Gary Shaw and Antonio Leonard, we talk all the time. That's my man. So it's an honor to be on the big stage; it's an honor for me to be able to be who I am. I'm not letting nothing get to my head. It's a real tough task being a person who people are paying attention to and some people who don't know what it feels like or what it looks like can be very overwhelmed by the attention. I have never sought attention for acceptance or any of that. I just thank God that I'm good and I'm in a good place. I'm patient and I consider myself very humble. Of course my confidence gets in the way of people who are not confident in themselves. Some people say I'm cocky and it's like, "God damn, what you want me to do, lay down or walk with my head down?" I can't talk good about myself for nothing. It's just confidence and my work ethic speaks for itself. I got everything to go along with it and it's just a blessing. I have only been here for 4 years and I had two 6-month layoffs, are you kidding me? This is an inexperienced guy that's taking it to these dudes.
PC: With the heavyweight division finding it's way back to relevancy, is it tough to focus on one guy at a time without looking ahead to possible matchups?
BJ: It's not hard to not focus on those guys because I only worry about myself. In life...I'm from the hood, I'm from North Philly, and people gossip all day. Now what I don't allow people to do is to talk about people badly in front of me. I can't waste energy sitting there talking about other people. Why? Because I'm so focused on myself. I'm so focused on myself with this boxing that nobody else matters, it's just me. That's all I see, man. It's like Drake said, "If all I see is me, who should I be afraid of?" I'm not focused on the winner of none of these fights or nothing because whoever it is and whoever it may be, they have to be focused on me. I'm the one they should be worried about. That's how I get through my training. They always tell me to study this and study that, but I'm like, "No, they need to study me." I'm studying me to be a better me. I only know how to be a better me. And in order for me to defeat a person, I have to be a better me first. Why the fuck should I waste my time and energy trying to be better than them when I should be trying to better myself? I'm trying to be better than my last outing. I'm in the game and I'm moving real good and I know I'm developing and I know if I work hard, the better you will get.
PC: I wish you the best of luck. I'm really looking forward to this one and we will talk afterwards. Is there anything else you wanna add?
BJ: I want everybody to make sure they tune in on July 26th at Madison Square Garden. They can also follow me on Twitter @BYJennings or follow me on Instagram at BYJennings. They can pay attention and listen to the real. I'm somebody that they can look up to in all aspects of life. I keep it 100. You already know what it is.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]