Teddy Atlas Says UK Fighters Don’t Measure Up In The States
Hall of Fame Inductee boxing trainer Teddy Atlas has never been afraid of speaking his mind on hot topics that stir up controversy. In his latest outburst, Atlas claimed that fighters from the United Kingdom are overrated.
During an appearance on Probox TV, the Hall of Fame trainer kicked things off with a statement that has some merit.
“UK fighters, guess what, I know this is not going to endear me to the great fans across the pond, but they’re overrated. Listen, there are exceptions. I get it. . . they were terrific over there across the pond. But then when they stepped up, I hate to say over here, but it kind of was over here with the top echelon of guys. Outside of that area, guess what they came up short.”
Teddy Atlas
OVERRATED OR OVER PUSHED?
He is right that there are exceptions, such as WBC champion Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Kell Brooks, Davis Haye, to name a few. Atlas’ statement has many different layers that could be discussed. However, this author will focus on certain situations that can explain why others in boxing share his sentiments.
In the United Kingdom, fighters make name for themselves in their regional area before moving up to the domestic level. The next step is to fight for the Commonwealth, British, English, and the EBU European titles.
With each passing victory, the fighter’s fame and popularity increase, along with a heavy push. It doesn’t mean they are not good fighters, but it does show fighters can go far with complete fan support. Guys like Kid Galahad, Josh Kelly, Lewis Ritson, Josh Warrington, and Leigh Woods have lost fights they should have won.
Conor Benn is a fighter with a huge following, and could be on the verge of facing Gervonta Davis. Yet, he has not won a domestic level or minor title that warrants such a fight. Boxing is a business, and a promoter’s job is to maximize profits, which sometimes can lead to mismatches.
It’s worth mentioning that there are UK fighters holding championships and other potential rising stars. It will be interesting to see what the United Kingdom boxing fan base will say regarding this hot-button topic
