My thoughts on the Atlas vs Tyson dispute.
-
Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Mike Tyson
forzaeva — 11 years ago(July 05, 2014 12:38 PM)
Well, yes, Tyson apologized to Atlas. They shook hands.
Teddy Atlas has been one of the most outspoken against Tyson, calling him "weak" virtually every chance he got.
Sure a lot of us know the video back from Tyson's early years seeing Atlas having to comfort Tyson before Tyson goes to fight. Tyson was scared of losing and broke down in tears.
"Sometimes I wonder, if God gave him such a strong body to make him have to become strong on his own.. He's a little weak personality, in that he's easily misled, he needs love, he needs a boost He needs confidence in people around him, he needs someone to be there with him." (Atlas interview '82/The Fallen Champ '93) Not necessarily exact quote
But this is coming from someone who needs a gun to confront the-then 15-16 year old Tyson? Granted, Tyson even at that age had the physique he was known for, some pounds smaller than his prime match-weight.
Teddy Atlas NEEDED that gun. He knew he wouldn't have a fighting chance without it nor get his point across (whatever what that might have been). This is a 26 year old adult at the time threatening a 15-16 year old, who would probably suffer a thorough spanking at the hands of said 15-16 year old if he didn't bring a gun to the table.
I'm not getting into the details of the story, except saying it is even doubtful that the actual girl Tyson allegedly made advances to was a relative of Atlas, rather than a girl in Tyson's class.
Tyson making amends with Atlas makes Tyson the bigger man. -
forzaeva — 11 years ago(August 30, 2014 01:19 PM)
Teddy Atlas' credibility is way beyond suspect - wanting to kill Donny Lalonde for firing him.
I don't hate the man, he seemed like a good trainer back in the day, he's not the best boxing commentator (ESPN) but at least he's entertaining.
I've noted your nametag in other boards concerning Tyson and it is obvious you're against him. A hater, if you will.
There's a good chance that Atlas changed his story, making Tyson out to be the offender, making advances to his own niece, while in fact that never happened -- rather than the girl in question would be someone in Tyson's class at school.
Atlas simply grew to envy and dislike Tyson. His own, somewhat abysmal amateur career wouldn't hold a candle compared to Tyson. He felt "Cus (D'Amato) was compromising too many rules" and admittedly wanted Tyson suspended from the gym, "taking away something that obviously would matter more than being suspended from school."
Had these claims been made by somebody more credible than Teddy Atlas, I might consider them more seriously.
- rather than the girl in question would be someone in Tyson's class at school.
-
lornamd-1 — 11 years ago(August 30, 2014 01:53 PM)
I love Tyson as boxer but I do find the way fans defend him no matter what he does completely ridiculous. If it's true what you say about Atlas he still has no more questionable credibility than Tyson. It's also hardly unlikely that a man with his history of sexual abuse would be guilty in this case.
The girl was 11 while Tyson was 16 so they would not have been in the same class. -
forzaeva — 11 years ago(September 05, 2014 09:49 AM)
Excerpt from Wikipedia:
"He worked the corner of Featherweight world champion Barry McGuigan in one fight, and light heavyweight Donny Lalonde.[5] Lalonde was a top-ranked boxer, and Lalonde went 8-0 with Atlas as his trainer, but they clashed in temperament and style. "He ran things like an army camp," Lalonde said, "I'm more of a free spirit." Lalonde also said it was a waste of time in his career. He and Atlas parted ways, and Lalonde hired Tommy Gallagher as his new trainer. In his autobiography, Atlas claimed he was so angry at having been fired by Lalonde that he went to Lalonde's house with a gun intending to kill him. However, Lalonde refuted Atlas's story, claiming he did not even live at the apartment Atlas described at the time. Lalonde also called Atlas "the least significant of all my trainers throughout my career"[6]"
Now, if Atlas did make up that story, it's no better for his credibility anyway. It's actually worse. In any case, he admittedly was thinking about it (killing Lalonde).
Also from Wikipedia:
"On January 25, 2008, Atlas was suspended by ESPN twice, once for threatening a crew member and once (for one week) after confronting the network's boxing program director, Doug Loughrey. Atlas accused Loughrey of showing favoritism to certain promoters and matchmakers, who were abusing their ESPN connections by taking fighters from other promoters with promises of potential ESPN dates.[10]"
Threatening fellow ESPN colleagues. Another dent in Atlas' credibility.
Also, you misunderstood:
"The girl was 11 while Tyson was 16 so they would not have been in the same class."
The girl (according to Atlas) was Atlas' 11-12 year old niece at the time. I'm saying there's a good chance Tyson never made advances to her at all, but a (obviously different!) girl in his class at the time. It's also been said that Atlas' changed the details of his story as time went on, including his niece in a later version of his story about Tyson. -
CichlidAsh — 11 years ago(September 05, 2014 06:33 AM)
I think he is talking about Tyson being a mentally weak person, not a lack of physical strength or ability.
To make a great film you need three things - the script, the script and the script -Alfred Hitchcock -
SALTER-pt — 11 years ago(November 29, 2014 02:12 AM)
Pretty much everything Atlas has said about Tyson has bee111cn absolutely accurate.
His taking a gun to Tyson speaks poorly of Atlas's own character, but that means nothing in terms of his assessment of Tyson, which was 100% on point.
except saying it is even doubtful that the actual girl Tyson allegedly made advances to was a relative of Atlas
Tyson accepts this is true, which means you're talking out of your rear-end.
You were sick, but now you're well, and there's work to do -
forzaeva — 11 years ago(February 08, 2015 08:59 AM)
"Pretty much everything Atlas has said about Tyson has been absolutely accurate."
Unsubstantiated baloney.
"speaks poorly of Atlas's own character, but that means nothing in terms of his assessment of Tyson, which was 100% on point."
Agreeed on Atlas' lack of character - apart from that, more unsubstantiated baloney.
"Tyson accepts this is true, which means you're talking out of your rear-end."
Even more unsubstantiated baloney.
Far as somebody talking out of their rear-end