Famed boxing trainer-turned-commentator, Teddy Atlas, has highlighted the fighter whom he would be most interested in training and why, after coaching as many as eighteen world champions during his time as a cornerman.
Atlas was Cus D’Amato’s apprentice when Mike Tyson burst onto the scene in the early 1980s, but left the Catskill gym in 1982 and pursued a coaching career of his own.
Over a decade later, Atlas guided Michael Moorer to the heavyweight world title, defeating the legendary Evander Holyfield by majority decision. The 66-year-old also enjoyed success with the likes of Wilfred Benitez, Alexander Povetkin, Timothy Bradley and Oleksandr Gvozdyk but has assumed a more media-based role in the sport in recent years.
However, on his YouTube channel, Atlas outlined one current fighter and seemed that he would relish the opportunity to train him.
“It would be a guy who has shown ability, but he hit a dead end. He hit a dead end, not from lacking talent, but because he didn’t get taught how to use that talent to its utmost.”
“It would be a guy like Ryan Garcia. He fell short, he’s got some ability, but he has fallen short in certain dimensions, technical is one of them but mental is the main one. I want a challenge but I want the challenge to have a chance to end with something big, significant! I want to do something that not everyone could do.”
“It starts with having a cause, having a person that needs help.”
Whether by accident or design, it just so happens that Garcia was recently seeking a new head-trainer after parting ways with Joe Goossen following his first career defeat against Gervonta Davis in April.
He has since followed in the footsteps of Anthony Joshua and appointed Derrick James to be his new mentor as he begins a campaign at super lightweight.