TYSON FURY is a “genius” heavyweight but neither he or Anthony Joshua would have beaten the best of the 1990s era – according to acclaimed trainer Teddy Atlas.
Atlas is a heavyweight expert, having been Mike Tyson’s first amateur coach while later cornering champions Michael Moorer, Shannon Briggs and Alexander Povetkin.
Trainer Teddy Atlas hailed Tyson Fury as a ‘genius’Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Atlas does not believe Anthony Joshua or Fury could have beaten the best of the 1990s eraCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Atlas tipped Tyson, Lewis and Holyfield as favourites to beat Fury or JoshuaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And he reckons Tyson’s rivals Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe all would have beaten current heavyweight kings Fury and Joshua.
Atlas told SunSport: “The guys in the 90s were more talented. If you put Joshua against Tyson, Joshua against Lewis, Joshua against Bowe, I think you’d probably favour the guy in the 90s.
“I don’t see Fury beating those guys either. And again, I give Fury all the credit in the world, he’s beaten everybody that’s in front of him.
“I give him all the credit in the world but I do not think he would have had the same level of success against the guys in the 90s.”
Atlas has trained 18 world champions, including Timothy Bradley and Wilfred Benitez, who at 17 became the youngest boxer to win a title.
I think Fury is a genius in his own way, as a promoter and in the ring. But I think he’s around at a time that is very fitting for him.
Teddy Atlas on Tyson Fury
And he witnessed first hand the transitioning of the heavyweight guard, as the Klitschko brothers took control during the post-Tyson, Holyfield and Lewis era.
Only until Fury was able to dethrone Wladimir in 2015 was the blue ribbon division alive once again, with Joshua later claiming the WBA, IBF and WBO titles the Gypsy King vacated out of the ring.
Yet AJ’s shock upset defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr last June gives Atlas evidence to suggest the reigning unified champion is not of the quality of three decades ago.
And despite unbeaten Fury regaining the heavyweight throne by knocking out Deontay Wilder, the trainer reckons the 6ft 9in unbeaten switch-hitter happens to be taking advantage of the current lack of competition that is “very fitting” for his reign as champion.
Atlas said: “I’m sorry to my people across the pond who want me to say the opposite but I don’t think any of those guys in the 90s would have got beaten by Andy Ruiz.
“Look, I’m not taking anything away from Ruiz, nothing, God bless him he won the title and he earned it, but I don’t see him beating those guys.
“I think Fury is a genius in his own way, as a promoter and in the ring. But I think he’s around at a time that is very fitting for him.
“It was an older Wladimir Klistchko, it was a very one dimensional Wilder, who can’t fight at all, but he can punch like hell, and look I give Fury credit, he beat them.”
- Teddy Atlas runs a boxing podcast and recently released an E-book – Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring: A Son’s Struggle to Become a Man
Atlas trained heavyweight legend Tyson as an amateurCredit: AFP – Getty
Atlas has trained 18 world champions, including Timothy Bradley and Wilfred BenitezCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
