Former two-time heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko told about how he made the decision to appoint Jonathan Banks as his coach after the death of Emanuel Steward. Until 2012, Banks was only a sparring partner of the Ukrainian.
“Everyone is good at something. Learn something, use it and do not “kill” immediately. This is my moto. Over the years, I understood something about human nature. In the end, this is my profession: you can study your opponent in order to evaluate him in the ring and act accordingly.
“By the way, this is how I made my coach out of a former sparring partner. My former mentor died suddenly, and I urgently needed his successor. I was waiting for the fight.
“I have known Jonathan Banks for many years. We often trained together, I saw his outstanding athletic and analytical skills. Some tried to persuade me from inviting Jonathan, but I didn’t let myself be confused. We have become teammates for many years.”
