Teddy Atlas - Top 10 Greatest Boxing Trainers of All Time!!!!!!!

Number 8 Angelo Dundee … who trained 0 fighters he’s a guy who was a manager, a corner parrot who might’ve had an input on the game-plan? Miller, Whitey, Goldman, Quiarte (he trained JCC Snr) Rivero and Brown are all missing… there is no way Angelo gets In before ANY of these guys. Quiarte actually had his credit taken much in the way we see with Angelo and “his guys” “his fighters” Willie, Ali, Leonard, Rodriguez and Duaps etc both Nacho and Steward took credit for fighters of his both are greats but they didn’t train Gilberto Roman or King Chavez, actually Steward undid good work of Rivero’s on De La Hoya… everyone after Rivero took something from De La Hoya. Interesting list but some undeniable folks are missing most certainly.

 

Glad to see George Benton on the list. He was an excellent trainer and unbelievably underrated as a fighter.

I don't agree with much else about Teddy's list but then again, it's his list so of course he is putting Cus at number one even though most wouldn't. Kenny Adams, Gilbert Clancy and Virgil Hunter, Ulli Wegner and the great Cuban trainer Caron deserve mention. Futch or Arcel should be number one imo.

 

I think Gil Clancy not making the list is whacky if Dundee is on here… I can’t think of many trainers who took a guy holding there hands to P4P immortality, Griffith is way, way up there… that’s why I think Cus is owed his spot he BUILT champions he was a real teacher… who were Robinsons trainers again? Wiley and Gainford? Pretty sure it was just Wiley who did the real work but I can’t remember. My issue with Benton is I suppose I only really saw his influence on “Sweet Pea” when I take a gander at Meldrick Taylor he didn’t change from his Olympic days in any meaningful way and Evander Holyfield… well Holy was Holy.

 

I think what is cool about boxing trainers is the stylistic aspect. George Benton was great at the defensive side of the sport. As a fighter, he was really the first guy to really commit to the Philly Shell but as a trainer, he took what he learned from Futch and really enhanced the defensive abilities of the guys he trained with Sweet Pea and McCallum being the ones that stand out the most. Regarding Dundee, I think he was really good at two things, like Teddy mentioned, he was a great motivator and excelled in the corner but what Teddy didn't mention was how many of his guys were great outside fighters with footwork on par with the Cuban's. Ali, Leonard, Pastrano and Ellis were all amazing at range and Dundee built on those strengths. It was very clear that Dundee's gameplan was implemented with Ali vs Liston and Leonard vs Hagler. Manny Steward is another guy that seemed to excel at one thing in particular, fighters that were tall and used their range. Hearns, Klitschko, Lewis are the gold standard of his work.

 

I'm stunned he carried on with that bogus story that has been proven nonsense about how Dundee saved Ali by garnering him "7 or 8 minutes" of respite in the first Cooper fight. Dundee himself said that he tore the rip a little wider and told the ref he needed another pair of gloves. The ref told him there was none available and Dundee said, "OK, we'll just use these." A grand total of an 11 second extension at best. Again, stunned that he would relate an old wives tale that has been debunked over the years.

Also, in the beginning of the piece, he states he puts longevity as a key element in his list and then rates Roger Mayweather. Huh?! I would have much rather seen someone like Jackie McCoy mentioned. A veteran of 51 pro bouts who turned to training and managing fighters (back then they wore several hats). He trained Don Jordan (although sometimes Eddie Futch gets credit), Raul Rojas, Mando Ramos, Rodolfo Gonzalez, Carlos Palomino and Gerrie Coetzee to world titles. Also came close with Superfly Sandoval, Frankie Crawford and Monroe Brooks, as well as top contenders Frankie Baltazar and Andy (Kid) Heilman. But it's Teddy's piece, so it is what it is.