Teddy Atlas says Tyson isn’t close to being an All Time Great [2017]

When I saw on paper that Lewis had beaten Tyson I immediately thought "well, this was past Mike's prime, he's 38". Then I found out LL was actually older.....

 

For me the only argument for saying Tyson is not a great heavyweight would be his longevity. I'm stipulating great not ATG, as that is a very rare pantheon as far as I am concerned.

 

Lennox Lewis turned pro four years after Tyson. When he turned pro, Tyson was already the Undisputed HW Champion.

 

Don't forget who Cus D'Mato was. He was far from your typical trainer or Manager. He was not going to have mentally tough fighters. His fighters that stayed with him were usually followers who didnt have a strong sense of self didnt think for themselves. Cus didn't just teach boxing. He dominated theirs lives in every aspect. As long as he is the puppet master things are ok. When he is no longer that voice other voices take over. Don King etc. Tyson a chameleon.

A strong minded person would naturally get tired of Cus's control and walk. Like Floyd Patterson

 

Tyson wasn't even 18 yet.

He needed the discipline and structure D'Amato offered.

 

Yea and his fame was too much at 19 years old. For almost anybody. I wouldnt have handled all that stuff any better than Tyson. Only thing I wouldn't of done was Givens. If your gonna go insane from a Gold Digger and the country has to know about it please , Please make sure she has some Ass. Robin Givens ass belonged on a milk carton. I think that is what had Cus rolling over in his grave. The girl from the Cosby would have been better

 

(dying)

This made my morning. But RG did have SOME ass, didn't she?

 

Atlas is an emotional guy, plus he doesn't like Mike for various reasons to which I'm sure some are justified.

Anyone who calls a guy a mental midget, mentally weak & got pissed when he found out Mike came onto his niece...may not be impartial.

 

A butt-less woman...now that's tough.

 

She had a petite ass. Think of the possibilities though. He could have waited another 30 and none would of had to read Ruth Roper and Lithium

 

Tyson was 35. Lewis was 36.

 

Teddy got alot of play in the mid 90s when Mike bit Evander. He seemed a little too happy about it but his view made sense. He has just overdid it and taken that view too far. If he held every fighter to the same standard as Tyson the Hall of Fame would be empty.
I met and I consider myself a fan of Teddy Atlas Big hearted guy and I believe he sincerely cares about working with kids. That's good.
At the end of the day Teddy's father was a doctor. He didn't walk in Tyson's shoes.

 

Yes as I said, Lewis was older. Which made it all the more remarkable a victory imo.

 

I wonder how Michael Moorer measures the Teddy Atlas Character Assaination scale. Tyson cant get a room at the HOF can Moorer qualify for a dumpster in the Parking Lot.

 

Michael always seemed to have an engagingly sarcastic personality. He certainly didn't think much of George knocking him out.