Johnathon Banks Set To Face Veteran DaVarryl Williamson On Klitschko-Mormeck Card

By James Slater: It looks like former IBF cruiserweight title challenger turned unbeaten heavyweight contender Johnathon Banks will face former IBF heavyweight title challenger DaVarryl Williamson on the Dec. 10th Klitschko-Mormeck card in Germany.

This is the word according to a number of boxing web sites (including Boxrec.com). That evening’s main event doesn’t figure to last too long, and the supporting heavyweight bout has no doubt been added with the intention of giving fans value for money. No, Banks-Williamson is no great match-up, but the bout could turn out to be a somewhat interesting affair.

29-year-old Banks will be defending his NABF strap, as well as fighting to maintain his high ranking. Now 7-0-1(4) as a heavyweight and 27-1-1(18) overall, the Detroit boxer has blown both hot and cold as a heavy. Against 43-year-old Williamson, 27-6(23), Banks should be able to dominate. This is not to suggest Williamson cannot punch, because he can, but at his age, and after so much inactivity (just one fight since October of 2009: a 7th-round KO over Mike Marrone this past April), the man named “Touch of Sleep” looks likely to struggle if he is unable to land something big early on in the fight.

Williamson has all the experience in the world, having been in with the likes of Chris Byrd (LU12 in an IBF title shot), Wladimir Klitschko (LTD5 back in 2004) and former WBC champ Oliver McCall (WU10) – but his best days came back in the early to mid 2000s. Against Banks, Williamson looks set to be out-speeded and outboxed. Banks is no huge puncher as a heavyweight (although he did score an eye-catching, one-punch KO over Travis Walker back in March of last year), therefore Williamson, who has been stopped four times, doesn’t figure to be blasted out quickly.

Banks should get his man out of there by the mid to late rounds, however. In fact, he may need to if he’s to convince the promoters he is deserving of a title shot. Banks’ career cannot afford another performance like the one he gave when drawing over 12 awful rounds with Jason Gavern. Fortunately, Williamson is a guy who usually comes to fight.

I go for Banks to come through a few lively early rounds, before stopping “Touch of Sleep” in around 7 or eight-rounds.