Povetkin vs Huck: Teddy Atlas Won't Train Alexander Povetkin For Feb. 25 Fight
by Scott Christ on Jan 24, 2012 11:11 AM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
Email
Print
Michael Woods of ESPN New York reports that Teddy Atlas is keeping his word on his ESPN commitments, and won't be training Alexander Povetkin for Povetkin's February 25 fight in Germany against Marco Huck. Atlas also is putting the blame directly on Povetkin, rather than his handlers, including outspoken manager Vladimir Hrunov, who recently tried to depict Atlas as unreasonable.
"Our agreement from the beginning has been that I would go to Russia to train Sasha [Povetkin] when 'Friday Night Fights' was off season, and he would come to the United States to train when I was committed to being here for my ESPN duties. ... I'm being told he doesn't want to come to the U.S. I had expected him to live up to his obligation and am very disappointed in Sasha."
Atlas is wise to speak up here, and frankly, wise to put the blame on the fighter. If that's their deal, then Povetkin deserves the blame for Atlas not being in his corner.
Atlas has been very clear in public forums about feeling that the ESPN analyst job is his main job now, saying that puts food on the table, and that his training commitments are secondary -- kind of a "take it or leave it" scenario.
So Povetkin is apparently choosing to leave it. As right as Atlas seems to be here, I doubt this amounts to much. Atlas hadn't improved Povetkin any during their time together, which isn't a knock on Atlas. There isn't much improvement to get out of a long-time amateur star in his early 30s. Povetkin was what he is when he was 27 or 28 years old. There's nothing changing about his approach. He doesn't really need Atlas, I don't believe, and Atlas doesn't need him, either.
If this is a complete split, and not just for this fight, it might be for the best. Atlas has a full-time job eight months out of the year and Povetkin clearly doesn't want to train in the States. Russian trainer Alexander Zimin, who worked with Nikolai Valuev and also some other, real fighters, will take over, at last report, and has been training Povetkin for the Huck fight.
8 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Am I the only one rooting pretty hard for Huck at this point? I’m tired of Povetkin.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
No, I’m pretty much right there with you.
by KidSleez on Jan 24, 2012 12:56 PM EST via Android app up reply actions
Guess I’m rooting for Huck too. It’s just not that easy, as unfortunately I understand the annoying interviews he’s giving.
"Sure, there have been injuries and deaths in boxing – but none of them serious." Alan Minter
That’s the tough part. He’s an obnoxious guy and just seems like a legitimate jerk.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jan 24, 2012 1:29 PM EST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bad Left Hook
Related FanShots on Bad Left Hook
!["[Team Pacquiao] are wrong when they assume this will be an easier fight because Foreman is one weight class up and Clottey is one weight class down. It's about the physicality of the fighter. Of course it also has do with the style of the fighter but in this case they are more concerned about size and they are wrong. Foreman is a slight built kid who is not a physical kid and doesn't fight a physical fight. He's bigger but doesn't use his size in a way that is dangerous, which is how Clottey uses his size one weight class below."
-- Teddy Atlas, speaking with BoxingScene.com](http://cdn2.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/92426/dm_081206_pacquiao_analysis_small.jpg)
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
