Johnathon Banks facts for kids

Johnathon Banks is an American who used to be a professional boxer. He competed in boxing matches from 2004 to 2014. He was the IBO cruiserweight champion from 2008 to 2009. He also tried to win the IBF cruiserweight title in 2009. Today, he is a well-known boxing trainer. He has trained famous boxers like Wladimir Klitschko and Gennady Golovkin. Johnathon Banks was trained by the famous coach Emanuel Steward.

Johnathon Banks' Boxing Journey

Early Days as an Amateur Boxer

Before he became a professional, Johnathon Banks was a very successful amateur boxer. An amateur boxer is someone who boxes for fun or competition, but not for money. He won the National Amateur Champion title three times. He competed in the 178-pound weight class.

Becoming a Professional Boxer

Johnathon Banks started his professional boxing career in 2004. He trained at the famous Kronk Gym in Detroit, Michigan. This gym is known for producing many great boxers.

Banks 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 of their fight. After this, he won more fights against boxers like Derrick Brown and Imamu Mayfield. These wins helped him get ready for a big championship match.

Winning the IBO Cruiserweight Title

On July 12, 2008, Johnathon Banks fought Vincenzo Rossitto for the IBO Cruiserweight Championship. This was a very important fight for him. Johnathon won the match by a majority decision. This means that most of the judges thought he won the fight. He held this title for about a year.

Challenging for the IBF Cruiserweight Title

After winning the IBO title, Banks got a chance to fight for another major championship. He fought Tomasz Adamek for the IBF Cruiserweight Championship. This fight happened on February 27, 2009, in Newark, New Jersey. Unfortunately, Banks was knocked out in the eighth round and did not win this title.

Heavyweight Fights

Later in his career, Banks moved up to the heavyweight division. This is a heavier weight class in boxing. He had an important fight against Seth Mitchell on November 17, 2012. Mitchell was undefeated at the time. Banks surprised many people by winning with a knockout in the second round. However, in a rematch in 2013, Mitchell won against Banks by a unanimous decision.

Johnathon Banks as a Trainer

Johnathon Banks is not just a former boxer; he is also a highly respected boxing trainer. His journey as a trainer began in a special way.

Training Wladimir Klitschko

After his own trainer, the legendary Emanuel Steward, passed away, Banks took on a very big role. He became the head trainer for the world heavyweight champion, Wladimir Klitschko. This was a huge responsibility, as Klitschko was one of the best boxers in the world. Banks helped Klitschko prepare for many of his fights.

Coaching Other Top Boxers

Since then, Banks has continued to train other top boxers. In 2015, he worked with Dillian Whyte. More recently, in May 2019, Gennady Golovkin, another famous boxer, announced that Banks would be his new head coach. Banks also coaches Badou Jack. His experience as a fighter helps him guide other boxers to success.

Johnathon Banks' Boxing Record

Johnathon Banks had a successful professional boxing career. He competed in 33 fights in total.

• He won 29 of his fights.
• 19 of his wins were by knockout, which means he ended the fight early by making his opponent unable to continue.
• He lost 3 fights.
• He had 1 draw, which means the fight ended with no clear winner.