Teddy Atlas’ Next Heavyweight Champion: Alexander Povetkin
By Geno McGahee
I have often referred to Teddy Atlas as the most honest guy in boxing, and he is. No matter what, he will speak his mind, most likely ruffling some feathers at ESPN when he announces that they owe the audience a better match upon occasion. He calls things the way that he sees them, being the first to talk about hot prospect Joe Mesi and his brain injury and risks he would take stepping back into the ring. He also spoke of inside information about an email from Team Pacquiao, asking what the penalty would be for a positive test. He pulls no punches.
Atlas is forever linked with 2-Time Heavyweight Champion, Mike Tyson, and Cus D’Amato, the guardian and owner of the gym where Iron Mike trained in his early years. Atlas would work with Iron Mike throughout his amateur career, proving to be the right guy in his corner. A no-nonsense approach led to a great run for Tyson as an amateur. When D’Amato had the money signs in his eyes and a desire to have another champion under his belt, he began allowing Tyson to misbehave without penalty. Atlas objected and was subsequently ejected from the gym he supposedly co-owned. D’Amato would then spread nasty rumors to the other gyms in hopes to ruin Atlas as a trainer and cost him his livelihood. Atlas, despite D’Amato’s despicable acts and motives, still speaks highly of him.
Atlas trained many fighters, but he never achieved the status that he deserved, especially after Iron Mike won the title and unified it. Most felt he missed the boat, but he continued his career training, eventually meeting up with the former Light Heavyweight Champion, Michael Moorer.
Moorer rose up through Kronk, trained mostly by Emanuel Steward. Lou Duva would train him for a brief time, before Teddy Atlas took on the assignment. The tough love and refusal to budge style was perfect to focus the talented fighter. In 1994, Moorer would win the heavyweight title by majority decision over Evander Holyfield, but the story of the fight was Atlas in the corner. At one point, he actually sat on the stool and asked Moorer if he wanted him to fight Holyfield, since it was apparent that he wasn’t interested in it.
The success of Atlas has drawn many fighters and managers to him. Most recently, he was asked to train Samuel Peter, a talented heavyweight with a good chin and a big punch but discipline problems. Peter refused to move to New York to train with him and the deal fell apart, but a new heavyweight has hired Atlas and they are heading toward a title shot on September 11th, 2010.
Alexander Povetkin, 19-0, 14 KO’s, won the Olympic Gold Medal in the super heavyweight division in the 2004 games. When you look at his career, he was not thrown into any easy fights. He has taken on some very tough opponents and came out victorious.
In 2007, Povetkin took on Larry Donald. Donald, with a record of 42-4-3, had been around the block and had been in with some of the biggest names in boxing, and held a win over Evander Holyfield and was also robbed of a victory over Nikolay Valuev according to most that have seen the fight. Povetkin dominated, leading to a unanimous decision victory by scores of 100-90 across the board. This was a big statement to the boxing world.
Four months later, Povetkin took on former Heavyweight Champion, Chris Byrd, in part of an IBF Title Elimination tournament. Byrd could not keep Povetkin away and succumb to the punishment in the 11th round.
In a battle of undefeated fighters, Povetkin took on Eddie Chambers in the finals of the tournament and after a rocky beginning, Povetkin came on and won a unanimous decision. Since then, he has knocked out three of four opponents and with Atlas in his corner, he is beginning to exhibit some of the classic Tyson-like moves. He dips and launches the left hook. It appears that he and Atlas are a perfect match and now the famous trainer has a chance to once again train a heavyweight champion. He has noted that Povetkin is a great student and a very hard worker. With Moorer, Atlas had to deal with a lot of uncertainty and attitude. With Povetkin, the goal is the same and the student is eager to listen to the teacher and become the heavyweight champion.
What chance does Povetkin have to upset Klitschko?
It’s easy to dismiss Povetkin just out of habit. Wladimir has easily beaten many of the top contenders in today’s age of heavyweights. He stopped Eddie Chambers in his last fight, knocked out Tony Thompson, Calvin Brock, Lamon Brewster, Hasim Rahman, Ruslan Chagaev, and many more. He has not lost since 2004 and is on the top of his game, fighting like a big man should, behind the jab and keeping the challengers at bay. Povetkin, prior to Atlas, fell into the same category as Chagaev or Sultan Ibragimov, talented smaller fighters with the European style that would lose because they weren’t able to get near Wlad. Povetkin is a different fighter now.
Wladimir will be the favorite, and rightfully so, but he has not faced a fighter as dangerous as Povetkin in some time. Atlas knows that his fighter must come forward and get on the inside, releasing the left hook and staying busy, getting inside the head of the champion and letting him tire. He has to get Wlad out of his comfort zone and go for the knockout in the middle rounds or later on. It will be interesting to see how well Povetkin does implementing the game plan and dealing with the size and style of Wlad.
As first reported on Ringside Report, Alexander Povetkin will get his shot at the title this September 11th in Germany, trying to win the IBO/WBO/IBF Championships against a dominant and powerful champion. Two good fighters, two great trainers with Atlas and Emanuel Steward in the corner of Wlad, and on high stakes interesting title fight, is a great treat for the boxing fans. Hopefully HBO or another network will pick this one up for the American audience.