Hot Dog Champ Joey Chestnut: I’ll ‘Do What It Takes’ to Win

Hot Dog Champ Joey Chestnut: I’ll ‘Do What It Takes’ to Win
Eleven-time and defending men’s champion Joey Chestnut poses on the 86th floor observation deck during the Nathan's Famous international Fourth of July hot dog eating contest weigh-in at the Empire State Building on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

NEW YORK—Eleven-time champion Joey Chestnut says he expects this year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest to be “a battle.”

But the 35-year-old Chestnut said Wednesday that he’ll “find a rhythm and do what it takes” to win the Fourth of July eat-off in Brooklyn’s beachside Coney Island neighborhood.

Chestnut joined other competitors at the Empire State Building for the weigh-in for Thursday’s contest.

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Joey Chestnut poses on the 86th floor observation deck during the Nathan’s Famous international Fourth of July hot dog eating contest weigh-in at the Empire State Building on July 3, 2019, in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
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Eleven-time and defending men’s champion Joey Chestnut, left, and defending women’s champion Miki Sudo pose together during Nathan’s Famous international Fourth of July hot dog eating contest weigh-in at the Empire State Building on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
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Eleven-time and defending men’s champion Joey Chestnut, left, and former champion and number three ranked eater in the world Matt Stonie pose together during Nathan’s Famous international Fourth of July hot dog eating contest weigh-in at the Empire State Building on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
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Number two ranked female eater in the world Michelle Lesco, left, and defending women’s champion Miki Sudo pose together during Nathan’s Famous international Fourth of July hot dog eating contest weigh-in at the Empire State Building on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Chestnut weighed in at 216.5 pounds (98 kilos), while defending women’s champion Miki Sudo weighed 114 pounds (52 kilos).

Chestnut ate 74 wieners and buns to claim the 2018 title. Sudo ate 37 to triumph on the women’s side.

NTD Photo
Eleven-time and defending men’s champion Joey Chestnut, right, and defending women’s champion Miki Sudo pose together at Nathan’s Famous international Fourth of July hot dog eating contest weigh-in at the Empire State Building on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Thursday’s top five winners of each gender will split $40,000. The two first-place winners will each earn $10,000.

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