At a February news conference promoting his bout with Bryant Jennings, Wladimir Klitschko, the heavyweight champion of the world, invoked an unofficial title often associated with the crown.
“As a champion, I have to say that I’m the bad man,” Klitschko said. “The baddest man on the planet.”
Despite a win on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, Klitschko’s performance did not quite inspire the same fear as some of the previous holders of that title.
Before a nearly sold-out crowd, Klitschko, a Ukrainian heavyweight, prevailed by unanimous decision over Jennings, who is from Philadelphia. It was Klitschko’s 18th consecutive heavyweight championship defense, the third highest career total.