Heavyweight world title contender Bryant Jennings has slammed people wishing Muslims a “Merry Christmas” or even “Happy Holidays” as ignorant, idiotic, and disrespectful.
“To say Merry Christmas or Happy holidays to a Muslim is ignorance, idiocy, and out right [sic] disrespectful,” wrote Philadelphia-born Jennings, 36, on Twitter.
“I get the Christmas thing obviously but saying happy holidays? Whys [sic] that so bad?” asked one nonplussed user.
“Cus it’s not a holiday for us,” he replied emphatically.
The boxer, who considers himself something of an honourary Londoner, last challenged for a major world title — the World Boxing Association (WBA) interim heavyweight belt — in December 2015, losing to Cuban pugilist Luis Ortiz after falling to a devasting left uppercut and being battered by a series of shots that sent him stumbling into the ropes after regaining his feet.
He had previously challenged all-time great Wladimir Klitschko at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City, for the lineal heavyweight championship and a series of major belts, but lost by unanimous decision after eating a barrage of jabs over the course of the bout in what would prove to be Klitschko’s last career victory.
This is not the first year Jennings has expressed irritation with people wishing Muslims a Merry Christmas during the festive season, with well-wishers earning an irate public dressing down from the boxer on Twitter in 2017.
“To all the [people] that texted me Merry Christmas don’t wit the i didn’t even respond [sic],” he wrote.
“Smdh [shake my damn head] you know damn well I’m Muslim why would you even make the attempt,” he demanded.
“I’m a start sending salaams through text and then see what y’all say,” he added.