Kingsley Ibeh Stops Gerald Washington in San Salvador

San Salvador, El Salvador – Kingsley Ibeh scored a third-round knockout over veteran Gerald Washington in front of a lively crowd at the Gimnasio Nacional José Adolfo Pineda. The bout, staged on “Legacy Night,” marked El Salvador’s first major professional boxing card and carried the vacant WBC FECARBOX heavyweight title.

The Fight

The opening rounds saw Washington trying to establish his jab and keep the much heavier Ibeh at bay. Weighing in at 288 pounds, Ibeh carried a 38-pound advantage over Washington and used it to press forward. By the third, the pressure told. A heavy left hand landed flush, dropping Washington hard. He rose but was in no condition to continue, and the referee waved it off at just :16 into round three.

What It Means for Ibeh

For Ibeh (31), this was a career-saving win. Previously remembered for being stopped by Jared Anderson in 2021, he has now rebuilt with a string of victories capped by the Washington knockout. Still, this doesn’t vault him into the elite conversation. Instead, it makes him a credible opponent for the next wave of heavyweights just outside the true Top 10.

• If he’s “cashed in”: Ibeh could be matched against a rising name like Richard Torrez Jr., Moses Itauma, or Bakhodir Jalolov. For those teams, Ibeh is a marketable scalp — the man who beat Washington, big and durable, but stylistically beatable.
• If his backers invest instead: They might hunt for another Gerald Washington-type, a faded ex-contender with name recognition, to pad Ibeh’s record.
• Either way: Ibeh has earned another step. He’s no world-beater, but he’s positioned as a record-builder or “highlight reel” opponent for prospects who need credibility attached to their wins.

What It Means for Washington

For Washington (43), this loss is a clear signal the end is near. A former title challenger who once upset Robert Helenius, his recent record tells the story: stoppage defeats to Charles Martin, Ali Eren Demirezen, Derek Chisora, and now Ibeh.

The path forward is brutally narrow:

• Retirement is the natural next step.
• Or he might accept a short-notice call from a developing prospect — the “Gurgen Hovhannisyan type” — looking for a recognizable name on the way up. Either way, the days of meaningful contention are over.

The Bigger Picture

This fight wasn’t really about titles or rankings; it was about positioning. Ibeh moves into circulation as a viable “opponent with a pulse” in the wide-open heavyweight marketplace. Washington, meanwhile, faces the reality that the sport’s unforgiving cycle has left him behind.

Heavyweight boxing remains what Colonel Bob Sheridan once called “the last Wild West”: one big punch, one upset, and careers — and promotional plans — are rewritten overnight.