In the anticipation of the boxing world’s heavyweight face-off between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr., the timeless wisdom of Cus D’Amato – a legend who once trained Mike Tyson, reemerges through the insightful words of renowned boxing trainer Teddy Atlas.
In a recent interview, Atlas unraveled a perspective on boxing greatness that unexpectedly intertwines the worlds of jazz, rock, and baseball.
Teddy Atlas unveils Cus D’Amato’s boxing greatness philosophy
Delving into the interview, Teddy Atlas shares a conversation he had with his mentor, Cus D’Amato, which reflects the latter’s philosophy on greatness. “You remind me of something Cus D’Amato used to tell me,” Atlas begins. “He said Teddy the great ones make it up as they do it. Kind of like a Louis Armstrong on the horn, he just invents a new note that nobody heard until he just did it. Or Jimi Hendrix on a guitar, he just hits a string in a different way that, whoa, that’s new. I never heard that before.”
This inventive ability, the knack of being instinctual, and creating moments of brilliance on the fly is a hallmark of a great boxer. But Atlas doesn’t stop there.
He discusses the incredible versatility of Terence Crawford. “He might be the greatest switch hitter I’ve ever seen,” Atlas comments. “When he switches from lefty to righty and doesn’t lose any. He’s like Mickey Mantle was as a switch hitter in baseball. He could hit with power or average from either side of the plate, and that’s what Crawford does.”
Atlas’s wisdom and the upcoming clash: A redefinition of boxing greatness?
Yet, it isn’t all about skill and inventiveness. Boxing is a tough sport, and Atlas points to another essential trait of a great boxer – the fighting spirit. “He’s a pit, he’s a junkyard dog. He’s mean and vicious when you got to be vicious. He’s got that pit bull mentality that he gonna do what he gotta do no matter what.”
Teddy Atlas, drawing upon the wisdom of Cus D’Amato, shows us that it’s this unique blend that distinguishes the good from the great in the boxing ring. As the boxing world readies itself for the much-anticipated showdown between Crawford and Spence Jr., these insights provide an interesting framework to analyze and appreciate the battle.