World Boxing News 2010-2013

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Picture by KMG/Klitschko Heavyweight won’t step in line for title bout WBC number two Johnathon Banks has categorically dismissed any chance of him fighting heavyweight champions Wladimir and Vitali in future after admitting it would be like ‘fighting family’ if they ever shared the ring. The 30 year-old from Detroit blew the division wide open with a comprehensive beating of unbeaten prospect Seth Mitchell earlier this month in an eliminator to instantly catapult himself into contention with to face Vitali. Talk has already surfaced that Mitchell’s promoters Golden Boy may have a return clause in place to set up another clash between the two and Banks isn’t too concerned about sharing the ring with the former American footballer again. “As of today that is the best victory of my career,“ Banks told World Boxing News. “I don't feel that he was easy to hit, but I got the win. “If a another fight with Seth is what my people are agr...

Picture by Lorenz Baader/publidaddress.de In less than two rounds this past Saturday night, the global landscape of the heavyweight boxing division was given a much-needed shot in the arm.  World ranked heavyweight Johnathon Banksproved himself to be  “The Best Heavyweight From The United States”  with a devastating second round knockout of undefeated and highly regarded Seth Mitchell at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Broadcast LIVE on   HBO’s World Championship Boxing , the replay will be shown Tonight at 12:15AM ET/PT and Tomorrow night, Tuesday, NOVEMBER 20 on HBO2 at 11:00PM ET/PT. Along with training for his own heavyweight showdown with Mitchell, the 30-year-old   Emanuel Steward   Protégé was preparing   World   Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko  in Austria for his defense against world ranked challenger   Mariusz Wach.    Klitschko’s fight took place on NOVEMBER 1...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Kronk fighter elevates status with shock win Johnathon Banks is in line for some huge heavyweight fights in the near future after dropping highly regarded Seth Mitchell three times on the way to stunning upset win at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. ‘Mr. Banks’ began the contest sluggishly and looked shaky early on as Mitchell loaded up with bombs from the off. The 30 year-old managed to get through with one of his own as a reminder to Mitchell though, and came out in the second with meaner intentions. A clean uppercut early in the round had Mitchell in trouble, before Banks jumped all over him to score a first knockdown. ‘Mayhem’ looked far from ready to continue as referee Eddie Cotton waved Banks to fight on and he duly dropped Mitchell for a second time. Cotton then warned Mitchell that if he hit the canvas again he would call it off and within seconds, Banks had put him down again, this time even heavier than previously and the figh...

Seth Mitchell v Johnathon Banks WBC heavyweight title semi-final eliminator Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, USA 12x3                                                                                                 Mitchell                             Banks              -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                  Round 1                      10                                 9     ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Picture by Lorenz Baader/publidaddress.de Heavyweight in line for WBC title shot on Saturday Unified heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko’s new trainer Johnathon Banks faces Seth Mitchell this weekend, just days after coaching the Ukrainian to victory over Mariusz Wach. The 30 year-old, who took over training the formidable WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO title holder after the passing of boxing legend Emanuel Steward, knows a win over Mitchell could put him next in line to face his fighter’s brother Vitali next year. The WBC semi-final eliminator takes place on the DeMarco v Broner undercard this Saturday at the Boardwalk Hall and will see the victor possibly facing the elder Klitschko if a fight with David Haye fails to materialize. It may be an awkward situation should Banks come through and whether the Detroit fighter would be willing to accept such a fight looks doubtful in the current climate. Another possibility could be a fight with ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Boxer removes tweets on trainer An unwitting Jonathan Banks has now removed his tweet that may have had the snowballing effect of wrongly confirming Emanuel Steward’s death earlier today. Banks, 30, tweeted the sad news that Steward had passed away, before confirming the news again when asked by a follower and the fighter has now deleted both posts from his account. Rumours began to swirl on the back of the tweets as Banks is a known friend of Steward and heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, which had given his incorrect statement the validity needed. Several media outlets then ran the story, which prompted WBN to do the same and even Wikipedia announced Steward's death, along with a whole host of top media sites who ran with the story. WBN then ran the denial that Mr. Steward’s sister Diane Steward-Jones put out, before a way-off story in The Detroit News confirmed Steward-Jones as announcing her brother’s death, which was no...