Klitschko vs Jennings odds: Wladimir a big favorite to retain heavyweight championship

Wladimir Klitschko has won 21 straight fights and made 17 consecutive successful title defenses, and the odds say he’ll make it 22 and 18 tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden, when he faces undefeated American challenger Bryant Jennings on HBO.

Klitschko (63-3, 53 KO) is a massive favorite, as has become custom, with lines at Bovada installing him as a -1400 favorite to win once again, with Jennings (19-0, 10 KO) a +750 underdog. In other words, to win $100 on Klitschko, a bettor would have to lay down $1,400. If one bet $100 on Jennings, and he scored the upset, the win would be $750.

Klitschko, 39, has shown no signs of slowing down in recent fights, dominating in a pair of stoppage wins last year. He beat fringe contender Alex Leapai via fifth round TKO in April 2014, followed by a November win over a more heralded and high-ranking challenger, Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev. Klitschko knocked out Pulev in the fifth round, as well, after flooring him repeatedly.

The 30-year-old Jennings, a Philadelphia native, began moving toward this fight in 2012, when he started appearing regularly on the NBC Sports Network. In 2013, he changed promoters, and last year made his HBO debut in January with a win over Artur Szpilka, a tough Polish fighter who was also unbeaten. Jennings stopped Szpilka in the 10th round, and followed that up with a split decision win over crafty Cuban Mike Perez in July.

But for Jennings to overcome this new challenge, he’ll have to be far better than he’s ever been before. Even his promoter Gary Shaw admits that this is not just a step up, but a huge step up in competition for his fighter.