Deontay Wilder: We knew Washington would have a lot of adrenaline, fighting for a world title the first time, and I knew he’d bring the best Gerald Washington. Everybody wants to put their name on that [WBC] belt. My hands feel wonderful, and I still have power–Alabama country power. [He didn’t hurt me] at all. It was a patient fight. We used the 3-2 [left hook, right hand], which we worked on in camp but were very specific about in the dressing room. I didn’t throw too many jabs, more as a measurement, and we knew he couldn’t move to his right. It was all timing. I knew he was wearing down. I knew it was coming. We were looking to set up the 3-2. We changed our whole game plan in the dressing room. I was just waiting on that big moment. Washington was just as tall and long as me, so if I made the wrong move, I could be the one on the ground. I didn’t want to take any big chances. I don’t care about being down on the cards, especially in the early rounds. I take my time and do what I gotta do.
I saw Joseph Parker after the fight and greeted him. I’m a gentleman outside the ring. I’m in love with boxing, but I don’t want to do it long. I think I have 10 years or less. I want to unify the division, defend it a couple times, and I’m outta here. I really feel in 2017 I’m going to injure someone, to the point they’re going to have to put a red tag on somebody’s toe. I really feel that way; this is no joke.
The more experience I get, the more dangerous I become. I’m a very smart fighter in the ring. I’m very calm and patient. I set my opponents up. From the first round to the twelfth round, I can get my opponent out any time, especially when that right hand lands. I wanted to display more with the left hand. I didn’t do it this time. I want to unify the division next. With Parker and the WBO belt, and Joshua and Klitschko fighting for the IBF and WBA, at the end of the year we can combine them once and for all.
Jay Deas, Wilder’s trainer: We do really long scouting reports on our opponent, from psychological to physical and strategic. We narrow it down to three or four things we really think we can capitalize on. Watching Deontay in the dressing room, [the 3-2] kind of hit–that’s the move. Get Gerald to move to his right, which he doesn’t do as well, and come with the left hook and right hand. Seeing it and doing it are two different things, so I give a lot of credit to Deontay for seeing it and executing it at the right time. Deontay has four mitt men because of the damage he does. [The power] is for real.
Lou DiBella: Right now, no heavyweight champion has had the knockout ratio Deontay has: 97.4%.
Gerald Washington: He’s a good boxer. He was staying safe, I was staying safe. I got a little impatient, but I’ll be back. [Deontay Wilder] is a good guy and a gentleman, a heck of a champion, and I hope he gets all the belts. I’ll go back to the drawing board and hopefully catch him again later. The best have gone down, all the great champions. It’s what you do after that–keep your head up, keep moving forward and learn from this process.
John Pullman, Washington’s trainer: We’re definitely disappointed, but the upside is that Gerald realized he’s as good as any of the top heavyweights. The problem was the moment, the experience. He was excited and a little anxious. I thought he was in control, but in [Deontay’s] backyard, he wants to be more in control and is fishing a little bit. He just lost focus for a split second, and against a devastating puncher like Deontay Wilder, you can’t do that. It’s a learning lesson. To win at the top level, you have to be focused the whole time. And we’ll be back.
I think the problem Gerald presented was his defense. Deontay had a hard time hitting him with anything, so he wasn’t punching a lot. Gerald needed to stay patient the whole time, but he wanted to be more assertive and prove he’s winning. We needed it to be a stinker, more boring the whole time, because Gerald was more effective with that. It’s hard to say [if Gerald could have continued at the time of the stoppage]; I know he could’ve kept going, and maybe the stoppage was a little early for my taste, but the referee is making a gut call. Deontay’s a devastating puncher, everybody knows that, and Gerald wasn’t all there on his legs. But if Gerald hadn’t made the mistake, he never would have got caught, so it’s really our fault, not the referee’s fault. Gerald just wanted to beat the champ convincingly, and maybe he got a little impatient and got excited, loaded up a bit much. It’s a big moment. But I bet you Gerald will be better for this. He didn’t get beat up.
