Legendary boxing trainer Teddy Atlas is none too pleased with the former UFC heavyweight champ. Francis Ngannou will make his boxing debut on October 28 against Tyson Fury, and Atlas recently revealed that Ngannou’s camp reached out to ask about training him.
Before that could get off the ground, Atlas learned that Ngannou was, in fact, training with Mike Tyson, and took it personally.
Boxing Legend Teddy Atlas Accuses Francis Ngannou of Dishonest Tactics
“I just wanna mention… Ngannou’s people had asked me about the possibility of training him. I don’t just train anyone, even if it’s a pile of oil money.
I’m not gonna train somebody unless I wanna be around them, I think they’re a good person, I think they’re coachable, and that I think I can help them.
I’m just not gonna. So, obviously my way, I’m gonna spend a couple days with you, that’s the deal, and it’s gonna be a trial period.
I’m not gonna say yes or no until I go through the trial period and see if I wanna work with you. They had talked about that, they understood that.
They talked about me coming out to Vegas to spend those couple days. All nice people. They call me back and say, ‘Let’s get the dates that you can come out… We’ll get back to you.’
The next day, my son sends me a thing announcing that they’re getting Mike Tyson to train him.” Atlas appreciated Mike Tyson’s strengths as a coach, but certainly did not appreciate what he saw as dishonest tactics.
“Hey, again, God bless. Good, great. I’m sure it’s gonna bring in some extra pay-per-view buys at the very least. But obviously, you made that deal with Tyson and you’re asking me to go out to Vegas to do a trial.
Why not be upfront with me? Just don’t feel good. it just doesn’t feel good. I’m not crying, but I guess what I’m saying is, can’t we be better as people?
I know money is money, and it’s important, but isn’t it important to treat people right? Isn’t it important to keep your word?
Those traits, just decency, just honesty, just being upfront… Don’t ask me about coming out when you know you made a deal with somebody already. Then it’s gotta feel like you’re just bringing me out to pick my brain knowing you’re already going another direction.”
Perhaps compounding the issue is Atlas’ old beef with Tyson, dating back to the early 80s. Atlas was kicked out of Cus D’Amato’s gym, where he was training then-fifteen-year-old Mike Tyson, when he threatened Tyson with a gun over Tyson groping an eleven-year-old female member of Atlas’ family.
