NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – At the age of 40, Gerald Washington is looking to resurrect his career for one last run. 

The 11-year veteran heavyweight contender has appointed Deontay Wilder coach Malik Scott as his new head trainer. 

Washington was last trained by Hall of Fame fighter and coach Buddy McGirt for his most recent bout against Ali Demirezen in January 2022.

In that fight, Washington was ahead on two of the three scorecards by one point but was fading late, eventually suffering an 8th-round TKO loss in a bour that was scheduled to go 10 rounds.  

It marked the fifth loss in Washington’s (20-5-1, 13 KOs) last seven fights dating back to 2017 – all via stoppages against the likes of Deontay Wilder, Jarrell Miller, Adam Kownacki, Charles Martin, and Demirezen. 

Washington has been a Premier Boxing Champions staple in recent years, but in an interview with BoxingScene.com, he said he’s now a free agent. 

“I don’t have any contractual obligations right now. I’m looking for a fight – anybody, anywhere,” said Washington. “I have to get back into the mix. I have to make some moves. I want to finish off with some big fights, get some good wins for myself and see where that takes me.” 

Washington – a former college football player at USC – recently almost got thrown back into the fray. He said he was one of the opponents considered for Anthony Joshua before the former two-time heavyweight champion ended up signing a deal to fight Jermaine Franklin on April 1. 

“The best version of myself is yet to come. I’m working to put this thing together to go out there and give it another go. I’m willing to fight anyone,” said Washington. “I understand my position and where I am at. I understand what I need to do. I’m not worried about anybody. I want to get in there and handle business. Anyone who can help me get some action, that’s what I’m looking for.”

Washington and Scott are training at the Brickhouse Boxing Club in North Hollywood, California. 

“Malik has always been a guy I respected and looked up to and learned a lot from,” said Washington. “He’s always given me good work and great advice. I wanted to work with someone I knew and trusted.” 

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.