If you think competitive fights don?t matter, a subject not worth debating, it will be fun watching Wilder destroy another no-hoper?
On Saturday, February 25, at the Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama, WBC heavyweight champion Deontay ?The Bronze Bomber? Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs), the knockout artist from Tuscaloosa, defends his title against unbeaten Gerald Washington (18-0-1, 12 KOs), ?El Gallo Negro? from San Jose, California.
Wilder?s original opponent was Andrzej Wawrzyk, but the Polish heavyweight champion failed a pre-fight drug test and that was that.
Enter Gerald Washington.
Washington is big. He has heavy hands. But he is slow and can be hit, which makes him an ideal opponent for the champ.
The result of the fight may be a foregone conclusion, no one in their right mind believes Washington will win, let alone go the distance, but that matters only if you think competitive fights matter. However, if you think competitive fights don?t matter, a subject not worth debating, it will be fun watching Wilder destroy another no-hoper, especially for the casual fan.
Wilder is personable. He has an emotional back-story. He is media savvy. He cannot be blamed for the lack of depth in the heavyweight division, since he is neither the matchmaker nor promoter. Wilder just does what he?s supposed to do and KOs whoever they put in front of him. If his recent attempt to step it up and fight Alexander Povetkin ended up in court instead of the ring, well, so much better for the lawyers who profited from boxing?s misfortune.
But for Washington, who has fought in the shadows against mostly top 20 fighters, this bout is a dream come true.
?This felt like destiny,? he said. ?It?s the year of the Rooster and it?s my time. It was only a matter of time and it happened to come early. I?m grateful I stayed in the gym and I stayed prepared. It?s just a matter of me locking in on Deontay Wilder.?
Locking in on Wilder won?t be hard. At 6-feet-7-inches he?s a big target. But unfortunately for Washington, he?s a moving target and one that may prove tricky to nail.
?I have a lot that Deontay hasn?t seen before,? said Washington. ?He?s young to the sport of boxing like me. Every fight for me has been a learning process. I?m an unorthodox fighter and I know how to use my size. I?m more athletic than all of the guys he?s been in the ring with. I?m big and strong and I can punch. It?s going to be a good fight. Deontay won?t be able to hit me from outside. It?s going to be a matter of who has better fundamentals, who?s sharper and remembers that defense wins championships.?
It?s good to hear someone celebrate defense, especially in a sport where fundamentals are often in short supply. But in the final analysis it?s not defense, but punches, that put men down and out.
?Knockouts do happen,? Washington said. ?I?m trying to win every round. I?m not expecting any favors. I know I have to beat him convincingly. I have to do it all the way.
?Luckily I boxed as a kid so when I picked it up again I already had the love and passion. People don?t want it for real after they get hit in the face. It?s a hard road but you have to take those bumps and bruises to climb and reach this level.?
Despite the bravado, Washington knows what he is up against.
?He is a hell of a fighter,? said Washington. ?We all know Deontay Wilder is a big strong knockout puncher. We are preparing for the best Deontay Wilder that there is. I only have 14 amateur fights. I only have 19 professional fights. I don?t have all that experience that this guy has. He has been in there. He has the Olympic experience. He has been in there with all the pros, in the sparring camps and stuff like that and he has learned a lot along the way. I have got to put it all on the line that night. This fight is very important to me and it is going to take everything I?ve got.?
We wish Gerald Washington well. For his sake, hopefully he wins the fight, because an opportunity of this magnitude may not appear again if he gets knocked out as expected.
Deontay Wilder vs. Gerald Washington will be televised live on FOX and FOX Deportes starting at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.
