Editing Teddy Atlas

{{short description|American boxing trainer, sports commentator}}
{{pp-sock|small=yes}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2010}}
{{Infobox person
|image=Teddy_Atlas.jpg
|caption=Atlas in 2011
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1956|07|29}}
|nationality=American
|occupation=Boxing trainer
|spouse=Elaine
|organization= Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation
|children=Teddy Atlas III and Nicole
}}

'''Theodore A. Atlas Jr.''' (born July 29, 1956) is an American [[boxing]] trainer and fight commentator.

==Early life==
The son of a doctor, Atlas grew up in a [[American upper class|wealthy]] area of [[Staten Island]], [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]]. His mother, Mary Riley Atlas, was a former contestant in the [[Miss America]] pageant system, as well as a model.<ref>[http://www.dratlasfoundation.com/scholarships.html Collegiate Scholarships] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125192335/http://www.dratlasfoundation.com/scholarships.html |date=2014-01-25 }} at Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation</ref> His father was of [[Hungarian Jews|Hungarian Jewish]] ancestry<ref>{{cite news |last=Weissman |first=Benjamin |date=July 16, 2006 |title=The true heavyweight |newspaper=LA Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jul-16-bk-weissman16-story.html |access-date=September 29, 2020}}</ref> and his mother of [[Irish people|Irish]] descent. Atlas was raised in his mother's Catholic faith and spent summers in [[Spring Lake, New Jersey]], with his family's friends.

By his own admission, Atlas had a somewhat troubled, rebellious youth. He dropped out of school and was arrested several times. He participated in an armed robbery and served time on [[Rikers Island]]. Atlas was involved in a street fight in [[Stapleton, Staten Island]], in which his face was severely slashed with a "007" [[pocketknife]]. The wound took 400 stitches in total to close, with 200 on the outside of his face and 200 on the inside. The attack left him with a distinctive scar.

==Career==
===Boxing trainer===
Atlas trained as an amateur boxer with [[International Boxing Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] trainer [[Cus D'Amato]]. He had some amateur fights and won a 135-pound Golden Gloves title but had to turn to work as a trainer due to a back injury.<ref>{{cite web |last=Crawford |first=Percy |date=July 7, 2016 |title=TEDDY ATLAS RECALLS EPIC STORY ABOUT MUHAMMAD ALI, CUS D'AMATO, AND DICK GREGORY |website=fighthype.com |url=http://www.fighthype.com/news/article25354.html |access-date=2020-09-02}}</ref> Atlas was an assistant to D'Amato, although his role in the Catskill Boxing Club was short-lived. In 1980 he trained [[Sweden at the 1980 Summer Olympics|Sweden Olympic Boxing Team]] for [[1980 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Atlas, Teddy; Rideout, Ken (hosts) |date=May 7, 2020 |title=Teddy Atlas on Cus D'Amato - Boxing Legend & Trainer to Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson - PART 2 |medium=Podcast |publisher=Youtube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=039kplaAHks&t=3522s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/039kplaAHks |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref> His duties included assisting in the training of D'Amato's teenage protégé [[Mike Tyson]]. However, Atlas left the camp in 1982 following an altercation with the 15-year-old Tyson after Tyson had been sexually inappropriate with an 11-year-old female relative of Atlas' (Tyson said he had grabbed the girl's buttocks). Atlas put a .38 caliber handgun to Tyson's ear and told him to never touch his family again, or he would kill him if he did.<ref>{{cite web |date=9 July 2012 |title=Teddy Atlas held a gun to Mike Tyson's head |publisher=YouTube |work=Highly Questionable on ESPN |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXpNxe4KfFs  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/zXpNxe4KfFs |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|access-date=14 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This altercation between Atlas and a young Mike Tyson led to Atlas' dismissal from the Catskill Boxing Club, and he was told he was no longer welcome in D'Amato's home or around any of his adopted children (his fighters whom he had legally adopted, Tyson included).

Atlas enjoyed his biggest success as head trainer to [[Michael Moorer]], whom he guided to the world [[heavyweight]] title in 1994. He drew criticism for what some considered to be overly dramatic speeches in the ring corner, particularly during Moorer's heavyweight title fight with [[Evander Holyfield]], and some felt he did this to draw attention to himself rather than help his fighter. During one such speech, Atlas blocked Moorer from sitting on his stool and asked, "Do you want me to take over?" Atlas has denied this,<ref>Newman, Sean. [http://www.ringsidereport.com/Sean072704.htm ''Ringside Report'' Interviews Teddy Atlas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070811073630/http://ringsidereport.com/Sean072704.htm |date=2007-08-11 }}, ''Ringsidereport.com'', 2004-07-24, Retrieved on 2007-03-10.</ref> stating that he did what he believed the fighter needed based on his understanding of the fighter. Moorer went on to defeat Holyfield by a majority decision, with Moorer's manager John Davimos crediting Atlas' motivation, stating "I don't know if Michael could have done this without Teddy Atlas."<ref>{{cite web |last=Kawakami |first=Tim |date=April 24, 1994 |title=Atlas Puts the Weight on His Shoulders: Boxing: Moorer's trainer sees defeat looming--and takes an unusual step to turn the fight's tide. |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-24-sp-49843-story.html |access-date=May 10, 2019}}</ref>

Atlas also worked the corners of [[featherweight]] world champion [[Barry McGuigan]] in one fight and [[light heavyweight]] [[Donny Lalonde]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Book Review - Teddy Atlas |website=BoxingCapital.com |url=http://www.boxingcapital.com/Boxing_Book_180109_Teddy_Atlas.html |url-status=dead |access-date=14 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090312081910/http://www.boxingcapital.com/Boxing_Book_180109_Teddy_Atlas.html |archive-date=12 March 2009}}</ref> Lalonde was a top-ranked boxer and went 8–0 with Atlas as his trainer, but they clashed in temperament and style. "He ran things like an army camp," Lalonde said, "I'm more of a free spirit." Lalonde also said it was a waste of time in his career. He and Atlas parted ways, and Lalonde hired [[Tommy Gallagher (trainer)|Tommy Gallagher]] as his new trainer. In his autobiography, Atlas claimed he was so angry at having been fired by Lalonde that he went to Lalonde's house with a gun intending to kill him. However, Lalonde refuted Atlas' story, claiming he did not even live at the apartment Atlas described at the time. Lalonde also called Atlas "the least significant of all my trainers throughout my career."<ref>{{cite news |last=Spencer |first=Dave |date=12 June 2006 |title=Donny Lalonde responds to Atlas |work=FightNews Canada |url=http://www.fightnews.ca/2006/news/lalonde20060612.htm |access-date=14 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222091537/http://www.fightnews.ca/2006/news/lalonde20060612.htm |archive-date=22 February 2012}}</ref>

In 2009, Atlas began training Russian heavyweight [[Alexander Povetkin]] as Povetkin prepared for an eventual title match against [[Wladimir Klitschko]]. Povetkin was a former world amateur champ and was the number one contender. Atlas said that Povetkin "wasn't ready" for Klitschko<ref>{{cite web |last=Borges |first=Ron |date=26 August 2011|title=Atlas, Povetkin In Uphill Fight For Heavyweight Title |website=TheSweetScience.com |url=http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles-frontpage/13148-atlas-povetkin-in-uphill-fight-for-heavyweight-title |access-date= 14 May 2015}}</ref>

In 2015, Atlas returned to training to prepare [[Timothy Bradley]] for his [[welterweight]] title defense against [[Brandon Rios]]. With Atlas in his corner, Bradley knocked out Rios in the ninth round of their fight, which took place on November 7, 2015, in [[Las Vegas]].

In September 2018 Atlas agreed to train [[Oleksandr Gvozdyk]] for upcoming fight with [[Adonis Stevenson]] on December 1, 2018 in [[Montreal]] for [[list of WBC world champions#Light heavyweight|WBC]] and [[Lineal championship|lineal]] light heavyweight titles.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rafael |first=Dan |date=September 18, 2018 |title=Teddy Atlas accepts offer to train Oleksandr Gvozdyk |website=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/24718044/teddy-atlas-accepts-offer-train-oleksandr-gvozdyk}}</ref>

In 2019, when asked who, in his opinion, was the best overall of the boxers he had trained, he said [[Wilfred Benítez]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Cleveland |first=Leroy |date=November 7, 2019 |title=Mike Tyson: Former trainer reminisces about training freakishly-good teen |website=FightSaga |url=https://www.fightsaga.com/fightsaga/news/mike-tyson-teddy-atlas}}</ref>

===Sportscasting===
[[File:Teddy Atlas & Ken Daneyko.jpg|thumb|Atlas with [[Ken Daneyko]], 2011]]
Atlas served as a commentator for [[ESPN]], formerly for [[ESPN2]]'s ''[[Friday Night Fights]]'' and ''Wednesday Night Fights'' and later for ESPN's [[Premier Boxing Champions]] fights. On January 25, 2008, Atlas was suspended by ESPN twice, once for threatening a crew member and once (for one week) after confronting the network's boxing program director, Doug Loughrey. Atlas accused Loughrey of showing favoritism to certain promoters and matchmakers, who were abusing their ESPN connections by taking fighters from other promoters with promises of potential ESPN dates.<ref>{{cite web |last=Reeno |first=Rick |date=January 25, 2008 |title=ESPN Suspends Teddy Atlas For One Week |work=BoxingScene.com |url=http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=12295 |access-date=2008-01-26}}</ref> In December 2017, Atlas was removed from ESPN's live fight coverage after 21 years of ringside commentating following his criticism of the judging in the [[Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn|Manny Pacquiao–Jeff Horn fight]].<ref name=livefight>{{cite web |last=Pugmire |first=Lance |date=December 13, 2017 |title=Boxing analyst Teddy Atlas is removed by ESPN from live fights |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/boxing/la-sp-sn-boxing-teddy-atlas-20171213-story.html |access-date=May 10, 2019}}</ref> He is in contract until 2020,<ref name=livefight/> and continues to provide boxing analysis for ESPN.

In 2001, Atlas won the [[Sam Taub Award]] for excellence in boxing broadcasting journalism.<ref>[http://www.ibhof.com/ibhfbwaa.htm BWAA Awards] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051228082415/http://www.ibhof.com/ibhfbwaa.htm |date=2005-12-28 }} at International Boxing Hall of Fame</ref> Atlas worked as a boxing commentator for [[NBC]]'s coverage of the [[Summer Olympic Games|Olympic Games]] in [[Boxing at the 2000 Summer Olympics|Sydney (2000)]], [[Boxing at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Athens (2004)]], [[Boxing at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing (2008)]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Frager |first=Ray |date=July 16, 2008 |title=Your NBC Olympics lineup |work=Medium Well blog |publisher=BaltimoreSun.com |url=http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/mediumwell/blog/2008/07/your_nbc_olympics_lineup.html |url-status=dead |access-date=14 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011194505/http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/mediumwell/blog/2008/07/your_nbc_olympics_lineup.html |archive-date=11 October 2008}}</ref> [[Boxing at the 2012 Summer Olympics|London (2012)]] and [[Boxing at the 2016 Summer Olympics|Rio de Janeiro (2016)]].

Atlas was a contributor on fight doctor [[Ferdie Pacheco]]'s ''The 12 Greatest Rounds of Boxing'' DVD. In it, he stated that in the [[Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston|first Ali-Liston fight]], during the famous "blind round" in which Ali could not see after being hit by Liston's gloves which had been smeared in a substance that temporarily blinded Ali, he would have refused to have cut Ali's gloves off and would have simply sent him out with the advice to just "run".{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}}

Atlas is also featured as a member of the in-game commentary team on ''[[Fight Night Round 4]]'' and ''[[Fight Night Champion]]'', alongside [[Joe Tessitore]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Totilo |first=Stephen |date=June 30, 2009 |title=Fight Night Round 4 Review: Boxing Beautiful |work=Kotaku |url=https://kotaku.com/5304510/fight-night-round-4-review-boxing-beautiful |access-date=2017-08-11}}</ref>

===Other===
In 1989 he was part of the cast and the crew in the film ''[[Triumph of the Spirit]]'' which portrays the story of [[Salamo Arouch]], a [[History of the Jews in Thessaloniki|Jewish Greek]] boxer who survived the [[Holocaust]] by boxing (over 200 bouts) for the entertainment of German [[Nazi]] officers in [[Auschwitz-Birkenau#The extermination camp: Auschwitz II (Birkenau)|Auschwitz]] Concentration Camp. Atlas played the role of Klaus Silber, main antagonist in the movie. He was also a boxing consultant for [[Willem Dafoe]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Broeske |first=Pat H. |date=April 23, 1989 |title=Filming on a Killing Ground: 'Triumph of the Spirit' is the first film to be shot almost entirely at the Auschwitz death camp |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-23-ca-1909-story.html |access-date=September 29, 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life==

Atlas is  married to Elaine,<ref>[https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/atlas-teddy-1956 Teddy Altas] encyclopedia.com</ref> with whom he has two children: [[Teddy Atlas III|Teddy III]] and Nicole. Teddy III is a scout for the [[NFLPA Collegiate Bowl]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Recruiting Team |url=http://collegiate.nflpa.com/recruiting/ |website=NFLPA Collegiate Bowl |access-date=27 February 2023}}</ref>

In 1997, he founded the Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation to honor the memory of his father. The foundation awards scholarships and grants to individuals and organizations. Atlas published his autobiography, ''Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring: A Son's Struggle to Become a Man'', in 2006. The book covers many different periods of Atlas's life and compares his position as trainer to a role as a father.

==Honors==
Atlas has been inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame and was inducted into the [[Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame]] in 2005.

==Trained boxers==
* Chris Reid ([[International Boxing Federation|IBF]] [[super middleweight]] contender)<ref>{{cite web |last=Mwamba |first=Jay |date=<!--none given--> |title=Cancer claims the 'Shamrock Express |website=Irish Echo |url=https://www.irishecho.com/2011/02/cancer-claims-the-shamrock-express-2}}</ref>
* Jimmy McMahon
* [[Timothy Bradley]]
* Felix Santiago<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Atlas, Teddy; Rideout, Ken (hosts) |date=May 25, 2020 |title=ddy Atlas on When to Throw in the Towel - UFC's Anthony Smith, Deontay Wilder, Episode 72 |medium=Podcast |publisher=Youtube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C-s1ST18Fo&t=2946  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/_C-s1ST18Fo |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
* [[Donny Lalonde]] 1985–1986, 8 fights
* [[Michael Moorer]] 1993–1997, 7 fights
* [[Barry McGuigan]]
* [[Michael Grant (boxer)|Michael Grant]] 2001–2003, 9 fights <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/boxing/post/_/id/598/the-case-michael-grant-3|title=The case of Michael Grant|first=Graham|last=Houston|website=ESPN|date=19 August 2010 }}</ref>
* [[Alexander Povetkin]] 2009–2011, 6 fights
* [[Oleksandr Gvozdyk]] 2018 – 2019, 3 fights

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography}}
*{{section link|List of people from Staten Island|Boxing}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/atlas_teddy/ Biography] at ESPN MediaZone
*[http://www.dratlasfoundation.com/ Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation]
*[http://www.boxinginsider.com/biofiles/teddy-atlas/ Bio file interview profile with Teddy Atlas] at BoxingInsider.com
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120209131946/http://www.njboxinghof.org/cgi-bin/henryseehof.pl?510 New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame profile]

{{Mike Tyson}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atlas, Teddy}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Jewish American sports announcers]]
[[Category:American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Boxers from New York City]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Staten Island]]
[[Category:American boxing commentators]]
[[Category:American boxing trainers]]
[[Category:American male boxers]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]