“He didn’t even shoot me,” Mike Tyson once clowned Teddy Atlas for pulling a gun over alleged s*xual abuse towards niece

Former heavyweight Mike Tyson shared a story about getting a gun pulled at his head. 

“He didn’t even shoot me,” Mike Tyson once clowned Teddy Atlas for pulling a gun over alleged s*xual abuse towards niece

Teddy Atlas and Mike Tyson (image credit- Forbes, Abstract Sports)

Mike Tyson and Teddy Atlas had a complex and at times, tumultuous relationship, both personally and professionally. Furthermore, Atlas was a trainer and mentor to Tyson during his early years in boxing, playing a crucial role in Tyson’s development as a fighter. Atlas worked with a young Tyson at the Catskill Boxing Club under the guidance of Cus D’Amato.

Furthermore, Atlas was initially enthusiastic about Tyson’s potential and trained him in the early stages of his amateur career. However, their relationship took a significant downturn when Atlas had a falling out with D’Amato. According to reports, Atlas was dismissed from Tyson’s camp after an incident. Subsequently, Atlas allegedly pulled a gun on Mike Tyson in a dispute over the treatment of a family member.

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This led to the end of their working relationship during Tyson’s amateur career. In an interview with Graham Bensinger, Tyson once spoke about this and stated:

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He didn’t even shoot me, so that tells you how tough he is he pulled a gun on me and didn’t shoot me. If I pulled one, god knows bullets are not going in the air, you know.

Furthermore, Tyson was only 16 at the time, and Atlas was 26 and had connections with the mafia. However, Tyson was not scared and stated that Atlas was a tough guy, but he didn’t even shoot him.

Hence, Tyson stated that Atlas and his mafia uncle have not done anything to him since he was 16 and couldn’t. This reflects how Tyson became known as the baddest man alive on the planet because he was fearless.

Mike Tyson and Teddy Atlas’s relationship after the incident

Despite the early separation, Tyson and Atlas would cross paths again in the professional ranks. In 1994, after Tyson’s release from prison, he briefly reunited with Atlas for his comeback fights. Atlas trained Tyson for a short period, and during this time, Tyson defeated Frank Bruno to regain the WBC heavyweight title.

Mike Tyson and Teddy Atlas
Mike Tyson and Teddy Atlas (image credit- Marca)

However, the reunion was short-lived, and Tyson and Atlas split once again. Their relationship has been described as a mix of mentorship, conflict, and reconciliation over the years.

Both Tyson and Atlas have spoken about their relationship in various interviews and documentaries, providing insight into the complexities of their interactions. Furthermore, decades later, they have finally buried the hatchet and are on cordial terms.

The dynamics between Tyson and his trainers, including Teddy Atlas, add layers to the narrative of Tyson’s career. Subsequently, he showcased the challenges and triumphs that marked his journey in the world of professional boxing.

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