Johnathon Banks brings Kronk Gym magic to Gennadiy Golovkin

Former boxer and current trainer Johnathon Banks is a disciple of the legendary Emmanuel Steward and brings the Kronk Gym magic to Gennadiy Golovkin.

Boxing is filled with stories of majestic gyms that have helped create great champions throughout history. Names like Stillman’s and Gleason’s resonate in boxing lore, but the Kronk Gym in Detroit, MI, is one of the few midwest gyms to rival their legacies. Former boxer and current trainer Johnathon Banks knows that better than most.

The late Emanuel Steward headed the Kronk Gym and took it to its greatest heights. Steward is one of the best trainers in boxing history, and his coaching tree has many fruitful branches.

Steward trained champions like Tommy Hearns, Steve and Milton McCrory, and heavyweights Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko later in life. He was also a mentor to other future trainers.

Some of his disciples who carry on lessons learned in the Kronk Gym include SugarHill Steward, Andy Lee and Banks, whose now guiding the career of IBF, IBO and WBA middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin.

Banks started his apprenticeship under Steward as an amateur boxer. When he was coming up through the ranks, Banks worked closely with Steward’s nephew SugarHill. Before working with Steward directly, Banks’ interactions with Steward were more informal.

The first time Banks met Steward, he was introduced through his first trainer at Brewster Central. Banks had just won the 1996 Detroit Golden Gloves in the 147-pound division, as Banks recalls.

“So I met him, and I was like, ‘Wow,'” Banks said to FanSided. “For me, that alone was amazing.”

It was a simple introduction that resonated with Banks for the rest of his life. He wouldn’t talk to Steward again until a few years later.

Banks was balancing his boxing training with college and working at a local Detroit supermarket. Steward happened to be one of the patrons who came through Banks’ check-out line.

“He looked at me like, ‘Johnathon, I say, man, how are you doing?'” Banks said. “And he told me, and he said, ‘You’re not gonna be able to keep doing it like this. I didn’t know you was working. That’s why you in a rush to leave the gym because you gotta go to work?'”

Watch Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin 3 on Saturday, Sept. 17, on DAZN pay-per-view

From there, Banks’ relationship with Steward grew under the Kronk banner, where Steward was the teacher and Banks was his pupil. Banks internalized those lessons well as he went on to win four amateur national titles.

Banks had a successful professional boxing career as a cruiserweight and heavyweight with a record of 29-3-1, with 19 KOs. He won the IBO cruiserweight title in 2008 and pulled off an upset knockout victory against then-undefeated heavyweight Seth Mitchell.

Banks was still an active boxer when Steward interjected with a surprising idea. He suggested that Banks should take over Steward’s training duties for Klitschko if he couldn’t continue for some reason.

“He said, ‘You know what? If something happened to me, I might ask you to train Wladimir,’ and I laughed,” Banks said. “This was the year before it ever happened.”

Steward likely knew that his health was declining. Steward was diagnosed with cancer, and he was looking out for Banks’ and Klitschko’s future interests without him. Banks didn’t think much about Steward’s words at the time, but the idea came up again a year later.

Steward’s health became more grave, and he brought up the idea again to Banks. Then, Klitschko called Banks and told him he needed him in his corner.

“Wladimir called me and told me you need to coach,” Banks said. “That’s when the thought really started coming in that I might end up being a coach. But I thought it was just a one-time thing. Like I ain’t never trained nobody before.”

Banks was unsure of his abilities as a trainer, but he had enduring faith in Steward. If Steward wanted him to train Klitschko, then he was going to train Klitschko.

Just like that, Banks’ training career began.

Steward passed away on Oct. 25, 2012, but Banks’ helped carry on his and the Kronk Gym’s legacy by training Klitschko.

As the years passed, another prominent boxer sought out Banks as a trainer. Golovkin was coming off his lone loss against Canelo Alvarez in 2018. He was looking for a change, and Banks proved to be Golovkin’s fresh start.

“Emanuel Steward had something to do with it, 100 percent,” Banks said of his connection to Golovkin. “He [Golovkin] was a fan of Emanuel’s, and he was an admirer of Wladimir Klitschko’s. So those two things played the part in him looking at my name on the list.”

Banks joined Golovkin in preparation for his matchup against Steve Rolls. Golovkin knocked out Rolls in round 4.

Banks has helped guide Golovkin to three more knockout victories after Rolls. Together, they’re a perfect 4-0, with 4 KOs. Now, a trilogy contest and a shot at redemption against Alvarez on Sept. 17 looms.

Banks believes that Golovkin will win the third bout against Alvarez. Maybe it’s his chemistry with Golovkin that fuels his belief.

“Like, the ideas he have, I want to hear about,” Banks said. “I want him to tell me if he got different ideas on what and how to go in about the different fights because a lot of trainers don’t listen to the fighters. But why not? They’re in the action. They’re right there in action. And like 95 percent, 98 percent, of the trainers, they haven’t fought in over 30 years. So why wouldn’t you listen to somebody who’s in action right now?”

Banks and Golovkin collaborate on developing the fight strategy, but Banks’ Kronk background is the backbone. Steward has been gone for 10 years, but Banks helps to keep his memory alive in the ring along with Golovkin.