For Klitschko, spirit of late trainer Steward lives on

• Emanuel Steward trained Wladimir Klitschko for nine years before he died on Oct. 25
• Johnathan Banks, who is six years younger than Klitschko, will be his new trainer
• Klitschko fights Mariusz Wach on Saturday in Germany for the heavyweight title

Wladimir Klitschko remembers his last phone conversation with his longtime trainer and dear friend, Emanuel Steward, about 21/2 weeks ago, a few days before the Hall of Fame trainer passed away.

It was short. And, as Klitschko recalled Wednesday, sweet.

"On the line, what I got to hear from him was, 'hello, hello, how you doin'?" Klitschko said.

"Unfortunately those were the last words I heard from Emanuel. His voice was very strong, and his wife, Marie, took the phone, so he wasn't able to speak too long. But that was the last line I heard from Emanuel in a strong, happy, clear and sound voice."

Steward was 68 when he died from cancer in a Chicago hospital on Oct. 25.

Klitschko, with a heavyweight defense coming up on Saturday against Mariusz Wach in Hamburg, Germany (EPIX, 4:30 p.m. ET), and in need of a cornerman, went with the next best thing. He made Johnathan Banks, a 30-year-old heavyweight who has his own fight coming up Nov. 17 against Seth Mitchell in Atlantic City, his trainer.

Banks honed his craft from Steward in Detroit's famed Kronk Gym and has worked with Klitschko as long as Steward has been with the Ukrainian, about nine years.

But neither Klitschko nor Banks is under any illusion that Banks can replace Steward.

"The relationship between Emanuel and me was very special," Klitschko said during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. "Not just a regular relationship between a coach and a boxer, I assure you of that because he respected my experience inside and out of the ring. I respected his experience outside of the ring as a coach.

"Emanuel Steward is a genius in the ring and it ... makes me feel privileged to have worked with him for many years and be a friend with such a legend and a genius that we have in boxing."

Ironically, their first fight together was a failure. Klitschko was stopped in the fifth round by Lamon Brewster in April 2004. It was his last loss.

"We both broke in tears after the fight. Because we couldn't believe what happened to us," Klitschko said.

"Emanuel Steward has been known for his strength to pick up the fighter when he is not on the top, (but) when he is on the bottom."

Neither Klitschko nor Steward was very familiar with the bottom. After the Brewster disaster, they went 16-0 together, including 13 wins by stoppage.

"I spent more time with Emanuel in the last nine years than I spent with my own father," said Klitschko, who said he will head to Detroit asfter the fight for a Nov. 13 memorial service for his fallen friend. "Emanuel was shaping me as a person inside of the ring. But you know whatever you're shaping inside the ring, you're carrying outside the ring as well."

Banks, who is six years younger than Klitschko, was asked how he gained the champion's respect.

"In the words of Wladimir, I was just being myself," said Banks, who is officially Klitschko's new trainer. "I approached him with a great deal of respect and I will always have that great deal of respect for him. I feel that through the wonderful sport of boxing I earned his respect. Then I earned it more once I got to be around him."

Wach, 32, an undefeated Polish fighter, is a rarity — he's an inch and a half taller than the 6-6 Klitschko. And like everyone else who faces "Doctor Steelhammer," he is fired up to knock off the king.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge in the ring since my opponent is undefeated, younger, heavier, taller, has longer reach," Klitschko said. "He is very self-confident and I am expecting him to be better than he usually can be because that is his motivation – his chance to be world champion."

Wach will be facing more than Klitschko, and the sold-out crowd of 15,000 expected at the O2 Arena.

The spirit of Emanuel Steward is sure to be in Klitschko's corner.

"His spirit is with us, and I know he's around us, and he's laughing and enjoying himself," Klitschko said. "And he's also looking forward to that fight. I know that for sure."