Teddy Atlas has had a distinguished career in boxing which stretches across four decades.
Atlas began his journey as a trainer in the early 1980s after he sustained a back injury, forcing him to put his amateur boxing career behind him despite winning a Golden Gloves title.
The bulk of his success as a trainer came when he worked with former unified world heavyweight champion Michael Moorer, who dethroned Evander Holyfield of his WBA and IBF titles back in 1994.
Atlas also trained the likes of Barry McGuigan, Timothy Bradley and Alexander Povetkin, who all held world titles during their respective professional careers.
He made the move into broadcasting during the late 1990s, initially working for ESPN between 1998 and 2017. Atlas has also worked as a commentator at a number of Olympic Games, including Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
In an interview on his YouTube channel THE FIGHT, Atlas didn’t hesitate to name the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard as his favourite fighter ever, paying homage to the former undisputed champion who he claims was ‘so good’.
“It’s a real tough one. I’m gonna say Sugar Ray Leonard, he was so good and he made me feel good. When he won the Gold Medal in the ’76 Olympics with the other five guys from the team, the greatest Olympic team ever I think, the Spinks brothers, Leon, Randolph, Howard Davis Jr.”
Leonard rose to stardom during that golden era of boxing throughout the 1980s, making up the infamous ‘Four Kings’ alongside Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran.
He would win world titles across five weight divisions throughout his incredible career, including the undisputed championship at welterweight.
Perhaps the most iconic victory of his tenure came in 1980 when he forced Duran to quit halfway through the eighth round of their rematch, which is known more commonly as the ‘No Mas’ fight.
