Johnathon Banks facts for kids

Johnathon Banks is an American former professional boxer. He competed in the sport from 2004 to 2014. He was a champion in the cruiserweight division. He held the IBO cruiserweight title from 2008 to 2009. He also challenged for the IBF cruiserweight title in 2009. Today, Johnathon Banks is a well-known boxing trainer. He has trained famous boxers like former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. He also coaches Gennady Golovkin and Badou Jack. His own trainer was the legendary Emanuel Steward.

Starting Out: Amateur Boxing

Before becoming a professional, Johnathon Banks had a great amateur boxing career. He was a three-time National Amateur Champion. He won these titles in the 178-pound weight class. This success helped him prepare for professional boxing.

Becoming a Professional Boxer

Johnathon Banks started his professional boxing journey from the famous Kronk Gym in Detroit. He quickly made a name for himself. He became the NABO Cruiserweight Champion. He won this title by knocking out Eliseo Castillo in the fourth round.

After this, he had more important wins. He defeated boxers like Derrick Brown and Imamu Mayfield. These victories set him up for a big title fight.

Winning Championships

On July 12, 2008, Banks fought Vincenzo Rossitto. This fight was for the vacant IBO Cruiserweight Championship. Johnathon won the fight by a majority decision. This meant he became an IBO champion.

He then had a chance to win another big title. He fought Tomasz Adamek for the IBF Cruiserweight Championship. This fight took place on February 27, 2009, in Newark, New Jersey. Banks was not successful in this match. He was knocked out in the eighth round.

Big Fights and Challenges

Johnathon Banks also moved up to the heavyweight division. He was set to fight Seth Mitchell on November 17, 2012. He surprised many by defeating Mitchell with a knockout in the second round. This was a big win for him.

However, in a rematch in 2013, Mitchell won. Banks lost that fight by a unanimous decision.

From Boxer to Coach

After the sad passing of his trainer, Emmanuel Steward, Johnathon Banks took on a new role. He became the head trainer for world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. This was a very important job.

In July 2015, he also started training Dillian Whyte. Banks later became the head coach for Gennady Golovkin in May 2019. He continues to be a respected trainer in the boxing world.

Johnathon's Boxing Record

Johnathon Banks had a strong professional boxing record. He competed in 33 fights in total.

• He won 29 of his fights.
• 19 of his wins came by knockout, meaning he ended the fight early.
• He lost only 3 times.
• He had 1 draw, which means the fight ended with no clear winner.