By Scott Gilfoid: Tonight on free television on Fox TV, WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) will be looking to successfully defend his title for the fifth time against undefeated Gerald Washington (18-0-1, 12 KOs) on Premier Boxing Champions at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
Wilder is really looking forward to getting inside the ring with big 6’7” Washington, because this is a trial run for how things are going to be for Deontay when he faces the 6’6” IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in a fight that could happen in 2017.
Washington, 34, is going to need to bring his power with him tonight if he doesn’t want to wind up as knockout victim No. 37. Washington is going to be able to box his way to a 12 round unanimous tonight. That’s too farfetched. The only way I see Washington winning the fight tonight is if he stands in the pocket and swings for the fences and hopes that he can nail Wilder with a big enough shot to knock him out. This is the heavyweight division as most boxing fans know. Anyone can win if they land a big enough shot on the button.
“I’m back TONIGHT on FOX TV! It’s time to prove once again why I’m the Heavyweight Champ of the World. #BombZquad #PBConFox #Wilder-Washington,” said Wilder on his social media site. “Ready for war at 222lbs. It’s almost that time. Where my #BombZquad people at??!! #Wilder-Washington #PBC on Fox.”
Washington has knocked out only one fighter in his last four fights and that was 46-year-old Ray Austin last July. Don’t ask me what Washington is doing fighting guys as old as Austin. Washington should have continued to fight high caliber opposition after he fought Eddie Chambers and Amir Mansour in back to back fights.
Wilder is going to be fighting in front of his hometown crowd at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham tonight. Wilder does well when he’s fighting in Birmingham in front of his boxing fans, who will likely be there in large numbers tonight to root him on. This is not good news for Washington, as he’s going to need to really take the fight to Wilder to try and keep him from getting any momentum. If Wilder starts getting energy from the crowd applause, then he’s going to be loading up with his power shots and looking to knock Washington’s head off with every shot.
This is Deontay’s first fight since suffering a broken right hand and torn bicep in his eighth round stoppage win over Chris Arreola last July. Wilder has been working on his left hand out of necessity during the time that his right arm was healing.
In looking at the video of Wilder training, he looks like he’s developed his left hand to the point where it’s now a weapon for him. In the past, the knock on Wilder from boxing fans and writers is that he only has a right hand that he can use in his fights. His left hand was considered too weak to be a threat against his opponents. But it now appears that Wilder has developed his power enough in his left hand to where he can score knockouts with this arm. We’ll see tonight if Wilder’s left hand will be good enough to hurt Washington.