Teddy Atlas

Theodore A. Atlas Jr. was born on July 29, 1956, in Staten Island, New York City. Growing up in a wealthy area, he experienced a rebellious youth, leading to dropping out of school and several arrests, including time on Rikers Island. A significant incident in his early life involved a street fight in Stapleton, Staten Island, where he sustained a severe knife wound to his face, requiring 400 stitches. Despite these challenges, Atlas pursued boxing as an amateur, training under the legendary Cus D’Amato and winning a 135-pound Golden Gloves title. A back injury cut short his fighting career, transitioning him to a role as a trainer.

Atlas began his training career as an assistant to Cus D’Amato at the Catskill Boxing Club in 1980, where he also assisted in training a young Mike Tyson. However, an altercation with Tyson led to his departure from the camp in 1982. Over the years, Atlas rose to prominence as a boxing trainer, guiding 18 world champion fighters. His most notable success came with Michael Moorer, whom he led to the world heavyweight title in 1994. He also worked with other notable boxers such as Barry McGuigan, Donny Lalonde, Alexander Povetkin, Timothy Bradley, and Oleksandr Gvozdyk. His career also extended to sportscasting, serving as a commentator for ESPN for over two decades and NBC’s Olympic Games boxing coverage from 2000 to 2016.

Beyond his work in boxing, Atlas is dedicated to philanthropy. In 1997, he established the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation in honor of his father. This foundation provides financial and emotional support to individuals in need and operates youth programs in Staten Island. He is also the co-host of “THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas” podcast, where he shares insights on boxing and MMA. Atlas’s autobiography, “Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring: A Son’s Struggle to Become a Man,” published in 2006, details his personal and professional journey. His contributions to boxing have been recognized with his induction into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame and the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, and as an inductee of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2019.