(Feb. 25, 2017) Heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder overcame a slow start to defeat Gerald Washington by fifth-round TKO. Deontay Wilder didn’t come out with his usual ferocity early on against Gerald Washington, but it didn’t take the champ long to end things once he got rolling. Deontay Wilder and Gerald Washington Deontay Wilder catches Gerald Washington with a left hook en route to gaining a fifth-round TKO in their heavyweight title fight in Birmingham, Alabama. Fighting for the first time since surgery on his right hand and bicep last year, Wilder gained a fifth-round TKO of Washington to retain his heavyweight world title. In the final round, Wilder caught Washington with a punishing lead right hand before knocking the former University of Southern California football player down with a left hook. After Washington regained his feet, Wilder went back on the attack and blasted his opponent with a pair of left hooks amid a violent flurry that led referee Mike Griffin to stop the