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Who is Chris Eubank Jr’s trainer Johnathon Banks? Fighter turned cornerman who once coached Klitschko
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Chris Eubank Jr has had many trainers over the years, taking advice from various cornerman to differing levels of success.
For his pulsating win over Conor Benn at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April , Eubank Jr enlisted the services of Johnathon Banks.
While the partnership is still in its early stages, it has already delivered two victories for Eubank Jr.
A promising performance in Eubank Jr’s victory over Kamil Szeremeta in October last year saw 'Next Gen' come flying out of the gates, knocking his Polish opponent down twice in the first two rounds before the contest was waved off in the seventh, following two further knockdowns.
Set to train Eubank Jr for the rematch on September 20th , Banks may not be a household name in the UK – or even in his native United States – but he comes with a wealth of world-class experience.
Johnathon Banks: From cruiserweight contender to world-class trainer
During a 33-fight professional career, Banks came close to becoming a world champion. His biggest moment in the ring came in 2009, when he challenged Tomasz Adamek for the IBF cruiserweight world title . He fell short via an eighth-round stoppage, retired in 2014 after a stint in the heavyweight division.
Banks was trained by the late, legendary Emanuel Steward at the renowned Kronk Gym in Detroit. Even before hanging up the gloves, he had begun his transition into coaching.
When Steward passed away in 2012, Banks took over as Wladimir Klitschko’s lead trainer – a role he held until the Ukrainian heavyweight’s retirement in 2017.
Since then, Banks has worked with several top-level fighters, including world champions Badou Jack and Gennady Golovkin, taking over duties for the latter in 2019. He also spent time coaching British heavyweight Dillian Whyte in 2015.
Chris Eubank Jr’s trainer history
Dave Thompson/Matchroom Boxing
Eubank Jr began his professional career under the guidance of Ronnie Davies – his father’s former trainer – with Chris Eubank Sr also often seen in his corner.
He briefly linked up with Adam Booth, who had previously trained David Haye, David Price, and George Groves, before returning to Davies. That reunion saw a run of victories, though it ended in a unanimous decision loss to Groves.
The 35-year-old has since worked with a number of trainers, often due to circumstances outside the ring. Nate Vasquez prepared Eubank Jr for his second-round stoppage of Matvey Korobov in December 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought their trans-Atlantic partnership to an end.
Legendary fighter Roy Jones Jr then took over, and the pair enjoyed three consecutive wins before parting ways following Eubank Jr’s disappointing fourth-round defeat to Liam Smith in January 2023.
Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre stepped in for the rematch, and helped Eubank Jr deliver an impressive revenge victory. However, just a day later, McIntyre was arrested at Manchester Airport for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, after a pistol was discovered in his luggage. He was later given a 20-month suspended sentence.
That chain of events led Eubank Jr to his current trainer – Johnathon Banks – a steady, experienced presence in a corner that has seen its fair share of change.
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