by James Slater – The upcoming March 20th heavyweight title fight between reigning Ring magazine, IBF and WBO king Wladimir Klitschko and “Fast” Eddie Chambers is an intriguing enough fight, yet another decent heavyweight match-up on the under-card is always welcome. And, according to the essential web site that is BoxRec.com, a good heavyweight supporting bout will indeed take place in Germany next month, an hour or so before the big title fight.
Former cruiserweight contender and IBF title challenger Johnathon Banks, currently 23-1(16) overall and 3-0(2) as a heavyweight, is set to continue his quest in his second weight class, when he will go in against the big-punching Travis “Freight Train” Walker.. On paper the most demanding test thus far for Banks at heavyweight, this fight will give us further information on whether or not the Detroit 27-year-old can make a real go of things against the elite level big men.
Though 30-year-old Walker, 34-3-1(28) has been stopped twice quite recently – inside three-rounds by Chris Arreola in November of 2008 and in just one-round by Manuel Quezada last July – the man from Houston is the bigger man and the more proven fighter at heavyweight. A hard banger, Walker even managed to deck Arreola in their exciting slugfest (the only man to have done so thus far in “The Nightmare’s” pro career). At a reasonably solid 250-pounds or so, and standing at an imposing 6’4.5,” “Freight Train” will no doubt feel he has what it takes to be able to run right over a former cruiserweight like Banks. And he might be right. This is, as said, a big test for the man who has been beaten only by Poland’s Tomasz Adamek.
Winner of his last three, against limited opposition, Walker has perhaps restored some of the confidence the stunning and quick loss to Quezada took from him. But has Banks got more desire and ambition at this point in time? Having settled in at an approx weight of 225-pounds, the 6’3″ Banks, in his last fight, made it seem like his claims that making the 200-pound limit took a lot out of him are true. Destroying Marcel Zeller inside 40-seconds in Switzerland (on the under-card of the awful-to-watch Vitali Klitschko-Kevin Johnson bout), Banks turned a few heads. Some fans are now asking themselves if the formerly Emanuel Steward-managed fighter can indeed get somewhere as a heavyweight.
Banks will be the smaller man against Walker, but he will also be the faster fighter of the two. It’s possible these two will put on a good and entertaining fight; with Banks’ fast hands flying and Walkers’ heavy hands scoring also. An intriguing crossroads clash, the loser of this one really will have the look of a fighter with nowhere to go.
On the one hand, Walker has been caught out at top level, while on the other, Banks is far from the proven article up at heavyweight. Very close to being a 50-50 fight in my opinion, I go for Banks to pound out a points win (the fight is set for 12-rounds). A stoppage win for Banks, however – especially a quick one – would be quite a statement.