BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA – Deontay Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) and his WBC world heavyweight title defense bout against Gerald Washington (18-1-1, 12 KOs) packed 12,346 fans into Legacy Arena to watch the Premier Boxing Champions series event. Wilder made his return to the ring after sustaining a serious injury to his right hand and a bicep tear in his last bout, a title defense versus Chris Arreola. Washington just hoped to make the most of an unexpected opportunity.
Both men stood in the center of the ring with wide-legged stances early in round one, and Washington started connecting with his left jab from the outside of the fight. Washington looked very comfortable in the moment, and both him and Wilder squared off with their hands low as they exchanged jabs.
In round two Washington’s left jab continued to serve him well, but with the exception of a body shot with :20 to go, the challenger was still unable to connect with something big.
Wilder continued to struggle with Washington’s left jab in round three, and while Washington scored surprisingly well throughout the round, the champion’s left jab surfaced in the final :20.
Once the defending champion finally got into rhythm, Wilder landed a left hook to Washington’s body in the final minute of round four. The shot was one of Wilder’s best landed punches to that point in the fight. However, Washington’s activity through the first third of the fight held Wilder’s full arsenal in check.
The first time Wilder really unleashed his right hand and connected with it, the result was Washington scrambling to get back to his feet on the canvas. The opening presented itself because Washington’s work rate decreased, and during his break he only feinted a few times without throwing any punches. Washington managed to get up quickly from powerful shot to his temple.
However, after Wilder worked the crowd during the ref’s 10-count to Washington, once the referee waved the fight back on, the champ quickly moved into range and finished Washington with a fight-ending flurry. It appeared that referee Michael Griffin jumped in between the two fighters a first time, but then needed to step in a second time to stop the fight at 1:54.
Washington held a 29-28 advantage on two of the judges’ cards after four rounds, but after scattering 11 power punches over the first four rounds, Wilder connected with 9 of them in the fifth and final round.
Maybe Wilder’s slow start represents some growth for him, and overcoming Washington’s mix of size and reach prepares him to face a taller fighter like the six-foot six-inch Anthony Joshua, or the shorter six-foot four-inch Joshua Parker of New Zealand.
Wilder’s thoughts on performance were, “I knew he was going to come in excited to fight for a world title. I just kept calm and found my rhythm. I knew he was going to tire out, and when he did I took advantage.
“It was all about timing. I’m very smart in the ring when it comes to using different tactics in the ring.
“Fighting here in Alabama is a blessing. The people here show up to support me and I love them for it. I’m always going to support and be here for my Alabama family. To see the crowd’s response tonight meant a lot to me.
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Regarding his next move Wilder said, “As I’ve been saying, I’m looking to unify the division. I think it’s critical to have one fighter and one champion, and that’s Deontay Wilder. Let’s hope Joseph Parker is ready for me because I’m definitely ready for him.”
A disappointed Washington summed up the fight’s abrupt ending for him by saying, “I just got a little impatient. I was trying to go for it. It was an even boxing match. I could have kept it like that and kept it boring. I don’t know why I fell asleep there. I guess I lost a little focus.
“I caught him with one shot when he was coming in. But instead of me keeping that play going and keep pushing him back and keep him in control by keeping him in the center of the ring, I tried to get on him. I was trying to play a little counter punch role and catch him coming in. He just caught me.
“It’s just an experience. You have to follow the game plan and stay focused, stay patient. You may not get all the shots you want in the beginning, but you have to play the game all the way out and then things will start to happen.”
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