So is Teddy Atlas as tough as he says?

[Kwik Kick]

I really don't much about his history other than training boxers, most notably a very young Mike Tyson. But every time I here him interviewed or on his podcast, his stories involve him being really tough (e.g., fighting Hector Camacho) and/or his knowledge of "the streets" and how to handle tough "street" environments.

My intuition is that he may not have the amount of street cred he claims, but relishes the "I'm just a humble guy who beat the street life with my toughness" type of persona. Am I wrong here?

 

[WklySportsMemes]

I really don't much about his history other than training boxers, most notably a very young Mike Tyson. But every time I here him interviewed or on his podcast, his stories involve him being really tough (e.g., fighting Hector Camacho) and/or his knowledge of "the streets" and how to handle tough "street" environments.

My intuition is that he may not have the amount of street cred he claims, but relishes the "I'm just a humble guy who beat the street life with my toughness" type of persona. Am I wrong here?

I'm sure some of his stories do have poetic license.
Is he preachy, a know it all and annoying? YES
But there is a lot of wisdom and truth in a lot of what he says when you take out the filler B.S.

The gun to Tyson's head is a true story.
That monster disfiguring scar on his face where he almost got beat to death is real.
To me that kind of shows he did choose to live a pretty tough life and did embrace the street life even though he didnt have to.

He was the privileged son of well off DR. And beauty Queen Mother.
He admits to being a wild kid and trying to get hurt on purpose in order to get the attention of his father. Claims that was the only way he could get it. So he choose to slum it. Because those were the type of people his father's practice specialized in. The poor and the very needy in the worst areas.

 

[Seano]

Tyson was like 14 or something when Teddy put that gun to his head. That bit of the story always gets left out. Teddy had nothing to do with Tyson beyond the age of 15, I believe. Sounds pretty brave when you're imagining the crazy assed Mike Tyson of the 90s.

 

[Yacob]

Tyson was like 14 or something when Teddy put that gun to his head. That bit of the story always gets left out. Teddy had nothing to do with Tyson beyond the age of 15, I believe. Sounds pretty brave when you're imagining the crazy assed Mike Tyson of the 90s.

Yeah but Tyson at 15 would probably be ranked top 10 in most eras so....I'm not fucking with him past about age 8

 

[Yacob]

Not that I'd try fighting a 7 year old....i get better tuneup fights than that

 

[WklySportsMemes]

Tyson was like 14 or something when Teddy put that gun to his head. That bit of the story always gets left out. Teddy had nothing to do with Tyson beyond the age of 15, I believe. Sounds pretty brave when you're imagining the crazy assed Mike Tyson of the 90s.

But 14 year old Tyson was like a 20 year dude. He looked and acted grown.
Yes, that does water it down some.

In his defense I think he did pull a gun or planned to kill an adult heavyweight champ or contender who left him or stiffed him.???? I think

 

[Seano]

But 14 year old Tyson was like a 20 year dude. He looked and acted grown.
Yes, that does water it down some.

In his defense I think he did pull a gun or planned to kill an adult heavyweight champ or contender who left him or stiffed him.???? I think

Doesn't mean he had the mental fortitude to deal with someone pointing a gun at him.

 

[Yacob]

In his defense I think he did pull a gun or planned to kill an adult heavyweight champ or contender who left him or stiffed him.???? I think

He planned to kill Lalonde iirc....a light heavyweight. Decent contender...i think he either fought for or won a title or 2

 

[Kwik Kick]

I'm sure some of his stories do have poetic license.
Is he preachy, a know it all and annoying? YES
But there is a lot of wisdom and truth in a lot of what he says when you take out the filler B.S.

The gun to Tyson's head is a true story.
That monster disfiguring scar on his face where he almost got beat to death is real.
To me that kind of shows he did choose to live a pretty tough life and did embrace the street life even though he didnt have to.

He was the privileged son of well off DR. And beauty Queen Mother.
He admits to being a wild kid and trying to get hurt on purpose in order to get the attention of his father. Claims that was the only way he could get it. So he choose to slum it. Because those were the type of people his father's practice specialized in. The poor and the very needy in the worst areas.

Hmm, didn't know that was his background. Sounds odd.

 

[Buddy Revell]

Tough is not the word i would use to describe Teddy as he doesn't have the resume in the ring or in life to back that up. What the man does have though, is a pair of brass b*lls. No one can ever accuse him of being meek.

 

[WklySportsMemes]

Doesn't mean he had the mental fortitude to deal with someone pointing a gun at him.

Who does? Lol
Tyson allegedly had guns pulled on him before durring home invasions. In fact I think he tells a story of seeing his friend get his head blown off or something during one of them right by him.

I think it was extra F'ed up that Atlas pulled the trigger and fired it right by his head too....

 

[WklySportsMemes]

Hmm, didn't know that was his background. Sounds odd.

He knows both side of the tracks very well. Which is why he thinks he knows everything.

 

[WklySportsMemes]

He planned to kill Lalonde iirc....a light heavyweight. Decent contender...i think he either fought for or won a title or 2

All I remember is Eastern European Heavyweight that was a Champ or getting a title shot...

Sounds right. Will google though.
But you're probably right.

 

[ccm22]

Didn’t he spend time in jail for robbery?

 

[Kwik Kick]

Didn’t he spend time in jail for robbery?

Oh yeah, his Ryker's Island stint? From one interview I saw, he seems to love to talk about it and emphasize how he survived the time.

 

[Buddy Revell]

Tough is not the word i would use to describe Teddy as he doesn't have the resume in the ring or in life to back that up. What the man does have though, is a pair of brass b*lls. No one can ever accuse him of being meek.

Since the subject of Atlas' toughness came up, and Tyson was brought up, i felt the need to say this...

Atlas likes to take every opportunity he can to shit on Mike, questioning his toughness and what not. Teddy is a dude who was born into privilege and never had to struggle a day in his whole life. Never lived up to his fathers expectations and never amounted to anything in the ring, for whatever reason.

Mike came from a shit background and through trial and tribulation, warts and all, made himself into something. Got punched in the mouth both in the ring and in life. Did jail time. Lost his Daughter. And Mike's still out here living his best life and by all appearances a solid member of society. That's toughness.

Teddy wishes he could be as tough and resilient as Mike. Just keep that in mind the next time Teddy decides to open his yapper to shit on him.

 

[Kwik Kick]

Since the subject of Atlas' toughness came up, and Tyson was brought up, i felt the need to say this...

Atlas likes to take every opportunity he can to shit on Mike, questioning his toughness and what not. Teddy is a dude who was born into privilege and never had to struggle a day in his whole life. Never lived up to his fathers expectations and never amounted to anything in the ring, for whatever reason.

Mike came from a shit background and through trial and tribulation, warts and all, made himself into something. Got punched in the mouth both in the ring and in life. Did jail time. Lost his Daughter. And Mike's still out here living his best life and by all appearances a solid member of society. That's toughness.

Teddy wishes he could be as tough and resilient as Mike. Just keep that in mind the next time Teddy decides to open his yapper to shit on him.

I tend to share the same thoughts. I don't like Mike Tyson, but there's something annoying about Atlas going on every media venue he can and making big money off his stories about Tyson. Although, if Tyson really did make sexual advances towards Atlas' 11-year old niece, this may negate my feelings. A mixed bag.

 

[Buddy Revell]

I tend to share the same thoughts. I don't like Mike Tyson, but there's something annoying about Atlas going on every media venue he can and making big money off his stories about Tyson. Although, if Tyson really did make sexual advances towards Atlas' 11-year old niece, this may negate my feelings. A mixed bag.

No doubt, Mike's no angel, never has been. Tyson was what? 15-16 when he supposedly tried something with his niece. Pulling a freaking gun on him was both a gross overreaction and a chicken shit move from a supposed "tough guy." At the end of the day, a grown man should be able to mind fuck a 15 year old boy, i don't care how "tough" he might be. and by all accounts mike loved Cus so Teddy had an angle to play despite him constantly harping about how Cus was easy on Mike. Nonsense.

You don't get a teen aged street kid to the Heavyweight title by being a limp dick. I'm sure Cus was plenty strict. Was he perfect?Probably not. But he kept him out of jail, on the straight and narrow, and got him to the brass ring. That's a damned good better than a lot of fathers, much less glorified father figures.

 

[soggyfist]

He planned to kill Lalonde iirc....a light heavyweight. Decent contender...i think he either fought for or won a title or 2

It was because of the Leonard fight. There was a falling out between Teddy and Lalonde’s team and he was replaced. Teddy felt Donny and his management screwed him out of a major payday.

 

[MC Paul Barman]

Tougher....
Atlas had a prime crazy-assed 1990s Tyson terrified for his life.