From boxing to cinema, Javon Walton stars in Samaritan with Stallone

Javon Walton is starring alongside Sylvester Stallone in the film Samaritan, but Walton’s first passion is boxing. He plans to pursue both as a career. 

To say that Javon Walton is living the dream is an understatement. This talented 16-year-old has several major acting roles to his credit and stars alongside Sylvester Stallone in the film Samaritan, which debuts on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, Aug. 26.

As one of the most popular teenage stars in the country, Walton has nearly 6 million followers on Instagram and appeared in television shows Utopia and Euphoria. Walton is turning heads with his charisma and acting ability, but his physical gifts helped him make a splash in the film industry.

If you talk to Walton for just a few minutes, you will quickly realize that his first passion is boxing.

“And I feel like a lot of people mistaken me, as, you know, just like, I just do boxing for fun,” Walton said to FanSided. “You know, like, I take this s**t really seriously. It’s what I’ve done my whole life, and people don’t realize that that’s what I’ve done.”

Walton isn’t kidding. His love for boxing originated from the age of two when he used to watch boxing matches on T.V. with his father, DJ Walton, who has gone from boxing enthusiast to trainer.

“So how I got into boxing from a very young age, what, two years old?” Walton said. “I was watching boxing with my dad on his T.V., and I just, like, I would like punch couch pillows and stuff and always be like I want to do that when I get older, right?”

Boxing wasn’t a passing phase for Walton. His love for boxing was cemented from that moment on. He started adding layers to that foundation with his father, who took his son to the gym for the first time at three.

“And that’s really where I fell in love with it,” Walton said passionately. “The second I touched the ring, man, it just made me happy and know that that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.”

By age seven, Walton was sparring. His love for the sport continued to grow.

“I think when I started sparring around like that seven-year-old age is when I realized this is something that I want to do long term,” Walton said. “You know, I realized at a young age what I wanted and where my path was going.”

Watch Sylvester Stallone and Javon Walton in Samaritan on Amazon Prime Video starting on Friday, Aug. 26

Walton added, “But I was blessed to know that that’s what I want. And I absolutely love it. And yeah, I got about 80 bouts now. So I’ve been doing it for quite some time.”

Walton has established an impressive amateur career, which includes five Georgia state titles. He cataloged his training on Instagram with the help of his mom and dad. His incredible athleticism helped him go viral and caught the attention of T.V. host Steve Harvey.

Walton put on a show that wowed Harvey and the audience. When Walton was 11, Harvey invited Walton to discuss his boxing training. He worked the mitts with his father with speedy hands and put a cherry on top by doing a handstand on Harvey’s desk and doing a back flip off of it.

The clip of Walton on Harvey’s show has over 14 million views and helped solidify Walton as a rising star. It also opened the door to Hollywood.

“I ended up doing the show, and it just like I wasn’t expecting it to do what it did,” Walton said. “The numbers blew up on that. And that was just amazing. And that was really the start that got me into acting. After that, a casting director called me. And that’s, um, that’s where Euphoria came from.”

Walton attacked acting with the same intensity and focus he applied to boxing. He took acting lessons, went to auditions, and the industry and audiences were drawn to him, much like on The Steve Harvey Show.

Some people have “it.” Walton appears to be one of those people. He hasn’t neared the ceiling of his fame or talent and keeps pushing his limits.

Walton’s latest project is starring in the film Samaritan with movie legend Sylvester Stallone. Considering Walton’s background, it was certain that he is a Rocky fan. And now, he’s starring with the man who created and portrayed Rocky Balboa on the screen for over four decades.

“It was truly something special,” Walton said about working with Stallone. “I watched all the Rocky’s from a young age. And it’s crazy that I got to work with him. He’s so talented. He is such an amazing actor. And I got to learn so much from him. You know, he really hones in on improv, and he really taught me that ability.”

Stallone also showed Walton love on a recent media call when he praised Walton’s talent, energy and dedication to acting. The two seemed to hit it off on screen and off, where they had numerous boxing talks and debates.

“We talk about boxing all the time,” Walton said. “We argued who would win this fight and that fight and one of the fights was Lomachenko vs. Teofimo. I knew Teofimo was gonna win that. He picked Loma, and I was like, ‘No, it’s Teofimo.'”

When not talking about boxing, the fun duo teamed up for numerous action scenes in the film Samaritan. Walton plays Sam Cleary, who’s convinced that his neighbor is a superhero.

This is another giant success for Walton, but he’s not done checking off accomplishments. He wants to forge ahead with boxing and acting and hopes to turn professional as a boxer when he’s 18.

Walton can envision a world where he’s trained by his father and signed to either Top Rank or PBC, although Top Rank has the edge.

“He’s [DJ Walton] coached Olympians like, he’s an amazing coach,” Walton said of his father. “So I would love to be promoted by, like, a Top Rank or PBC. I love them both. And they’re both doing really big things right now. I just love Top Rank, though. So that’s probably number one for me.”

Walton is conquering dreams at will, but there’s still more to do for the young man who has the ability to dream big and see those dreams through to completion.