Ex-unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin ended weeks of speculation by formally announcing his new trainer Saturday morning in Las Vegas.
Flanked by Tom Loeffler, Golovkin revealed that his new trainer would be none other than veteran trainer Johnathon Banks, a long-time student of the late Emanuel Steward and staple of the historic Kronk Gym. Banks will join GGG in Big Bear, California as he prepares for a June 1 showdown against middleweight Steve Rolls. His first fight under a new, lucrative deal with streaming platform DAZN.
Speaking to the media Saturday morning, GGG says he wanted a new, younger, trainer to take him into this new chapter of his career and revealed he and Banks had already been working together for the last couple week. Banks said it was easy to keep the new partnership under wraps since he was the last trainer the masses would have suspected.
Golovkin followed up the press conference by making the announcement on his Instagram account.
In addition to his time at the Kronk gym under Steward’s direction, Banks trained former unified heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and women’s undisputed, welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus.
For footage from today’s announcement, plus a sitdown conversation with Banks, flip the pages.