Boxing News : Allan Scotto

Lessons in Karma
By Allan Scotto (May 10, 2007)

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It’s become a classic, and will surely pop onto your TV screen as you surf around the channels during holiday time.

And even though you’ve seen it a hundred times, you just can’t resist settling into your favorite chair to watch what happens as Clarence, the bumbling, lovable angel, shows George Bailey what would have happened had he never existed.

“It’s a Wonderful Life,” is a movie that is beautiful in its simplicity, as it explains one of the basic beliefs of karma, which is, everything that happens to you happens for a reason, and every soul you encounter, you encounter for a reason. But rarely do we get the opportunity to see how someone knowing us has impacted their life.

For Teddy Atlas, that opportunity would present itself one night at the Hilton Hotel in Staten Island, when Atlas made an appearance to sign copies of his recently released book, “Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring: A Son’s Struggle to Become a Man.”

As hundreds of fans waited in the lobby for the event to begin, “Clarence” was preparing to make a house call on Mr. Atlas.

While the hotel staff rushed around, putting the finishing touches on the dais, many of Atlas’ friends and family mingled about the hospitality area, including former heavyweight champion of the world Michael Moorer.

Having trained Moorer for his fight with Evander Holyfield on April 22nd, 1994, in which Moorer won both the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles by majority decision, Atlas was credited with giving one of the most motivational performances a trainer has ever given during a fight, psychologically coaxing, scolding, and cajoling an extremely reluctant Moorer to victory.

Moorer, never one to commit himself to proper training, and Atlas, a trainer with absolutely no tolerance for that, butted heads on more than one occasion throughout the years, and Atlas had detailed that tumultuous, yet oftentimes fun relationship with Moorer in his book.

They are good friends today. Having read the book, Moorer embraced Atlas and said, “I was a real pain in the ass, huh?”

Atlas smiled at him and said, “Yeah, you were.”

There are many people who justifiably feel that Michael Moorer’s victory over Evander Holyfield was Teddy Atlas’ finest moment as a trainer.

But as Mr. Miyagi taught his young protégé’ in The Karate Kid, “Everything not always as seem.”

Because waiting in the lobby was Mane Moore.

Mane Moore was a fragile and broken ten year old boy when he walked into the Catskill gym of Cus D’Amato, desperately hoping to find courage.

What he found was Teddy Atlas.

But, as desperate as Moore was to learn how to defend himself, every time Teddy would try to work with him, he would run off into another room crying.

As tough as he is, seeing this young boy so shattered broke Teddy’s heart, but without knowing what was tearing Moore apart, Atlas was powerless to help him.

Yet every day, Teddy would try to work with him, and every day, Moore would run off crying. Atlas would follow him, and sit and talk with him until Moore calmed down.

Then one day, one of the other kids at the gym confided in Teddy that a bully with the street name of “Goo” was humiliating Moore everyday at school, taking great pleasure in intimidating him in front of all the other kids, forcing him to hand over his lunch money.

Finally, Atlas had the missing piece to the puzzle, and the answer that had been eluding him for so long became crystal clear.

Moore was not just terrified with fear; he was tortured by his own shame.

But Atlas knew that Moore, like all the other kids at the gym, respected and admired him, and he realized that not only was that the only tool he had to work with, it was the exact tool he needed.

Atlas, as he always did, followed Moore the next time he ran off crying.

Only this time, Atlas did more than just calm him down.

“You know,” Atlas said, “I used to be afraid too.”

The thought of Teddy Atlas being afraid of anything was incomprehensible to Moore.

“You were afraid? Moore asked. “Why?”

“Well,” Atlas answered. “I really don’t like to talk about it, but I was afraid of some kid who used to take my lunch money all the time.”

Moore couldn’t believe his ears.

“Somebody took your lunch money? What did you do?” Moore asked Atlas.

“Well,” Atlas said. “I finally stood up to him, and when it was over, all I remember is that his feet were sticking out of a garbage pail.”

In a split second, it wasn’t as bleak as it had seemed to Moore.

After all, if Teddy Atlas could be afraid, so could he.

Atlas and Moore laughed for a while talking about the bully upside down in the garbage pail, and then Atlas asked him, “You ready to go to work?”

“Yeah Teddy, I’m ready,” Moore replied.

Freed from his shame, Moore worked hard every day as Atlas began the painstaking task of teaching him how to first understand, and then to conquer his fear.

And when Atlas knew that Moore was ready, he threw a smoker at the Catskill gym, making sure that “Goo” and his gang would be there.

In front of his gang, Atlas offered “Goo” the opportunity to meet Mane in the ring, and in front of his gang, “Goo” backed down, leaving him exposed, with his bullying days over.

And as the years passed, Moore flourished under Atlas’ watchful eye and guidance.

When speaking of the relationship that he and the other kids at the gym had with Atlas, Moore said, “Teddy was like our big brother. Cus was like a father, but Teddy, well Teddy, he was our brother.”

“We went everywhere with Teddy,” Moore continued. “In fact, we were all with Teddy when he first met his wife Elaine at the pizzeria. I remember he introduced us as his family.”

“And you have to understand,” Moore explained. “Teddy didn’t just teach us about boxing, he taught us about life. In fact, Teddy actually taught me how to read.”

Unfortunately, those days ended abruptly when Atlas left the Catskills after an extremely heated disagreement with Cus D’Amato after Mike Tyson tried to commit a heinous act on a member of Atlas’ family.

And so Moore had come to the Hilton Hotel to do something he had never gotten the chance to do.

He came to thank Teddy Atlas for all that he had done for him.

When Atlas took his seat at the dais, it was easy to see, that unlike many of today’s celebrities, Teddy truly appreciates his fans, and the respect he has for them is obvious and genuine.

Taking a moment or so to speak with each of them, Atlas gracefully personalized every autograph.

When his turn came, Moore, knowing that Teddy would never recognize him after all those years, stepped forward and placed his book in front of Atlas along with a gift.

Inside was a picture of Moore in the ring when he was a young boy.

“Wow! Atlas said. “A present, that’s different.”

Moore just smiled.

As Atlas opened the cover of the book he asked Moore, “Who should I make it out to?”

“Actually,” Moore said, looking at the gift. “If you don’t mind, I’d like you to open that first.”

When Atlas saw the photograph, he realized instantly that the muscular, forty year-old man standing before him was Mane Moore.

The two men embraced, and after the book signing ended, they had an emotional reunion, and a chance to sit and talk.

As they spoke, Moore told Atlas that he had never forgotten him, or the things he had learned from him. He explained to Atlas that he had actually shaped his whole life based on the principles of honor and integrity that Atlas had taught him.

Moore, who by the way became a Junior Olympic Champion, also told Atlas that because of him, he had dedicated his life to working with troubled youths at a place called Berkshire Farms, in the Catskills, sharing with them the lessons that Teddy had taught him, all those years ago, even starting a boxing program for the kids. Unfortunately, the program was forced to close when it’s funding was cut, but Moore is hopeful that he will be able to find the necessary funds to start it up again, and Atlas is now helping him to do that.

You know, it’s a funny thing when you stop and think about it.

While Atlas was struggling in his own mind on how to become a man, he was teaching a frightened young boy what it takes to be a man, which is something that only a man could do.

“I don’t know where I would be, or what would have happened to me, if it weren’t for Teddy Atlas,” Moore said.

“And I would lay down my life for him.”

Atlas explained how it felt for him to see Mane after all those years.

“I’m proud of him for many reasons,” Atlas stated. “It takes a lot for anyone to climb into a boxing ring, but it was extremely difficult for Mane because of the shadows he had in his own mind, the doubts, and the fears. I’m also proud of the fact that he went on to school and then came back to work with troubled kids in his community. That little kid I knew grew, in every aspect, into quite a big man, and I’m very proud of the man he’s become.”

Mane Moore was humbled by Atlas’ words, as he revealed that he had another reason for going to the Hilton Hotel that night.

“I wanted Teddy to see his masterpiece.”