'He's like a cook tenderizing meat'… Legendary boxing coach Teddy Atlas breaks down Alex Pereira's viral KO at UFC 303
07/01/2024 07:20 AM
This post-UFC 303 breakdown of Alex Pereira might be the single greatest analysis of an MMA fighter of all time, and it's from boxing icon Teddy Atlas.
From Mike Tyson and Barry McGuigan to Shannon Briggs, Teddy Atlas has coached some of the best boxers that the world has ever seen – so it's safe to say that the combat sports icon knows his stuff when it comes to fighting on the world stage.
Teddy Atlas breaks down Alex Pereira's performance at UFC 303
Legendary boxing trainer Teddy Atlas sees "something very special" in Alex Pereira following his second-round demolition of former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka in Las Vegas.
"I see somebody who's got the complete package; mentally, physically and technically," Atlas explained via ESPN MMA, "He breaks you down mentally and then he finishes you physically."
In the main event of UFC 303, Pereira dropped Prochazka with a brutal hook just seconds before the first round ended before almost decapitating BJP with a picture-perfect high kick just 12 seconds into the second round.
"He's kind of like a cook who is starting to get the meat ready, he's tenderizing the meat and getting it ready before he puts it in the oven; well, he's tenderizing the person, the victim, his opponent mentally before he gets him in the oven.
"For me, that's the perfect way to say it, and then he cooks him."
Atlas acknowledged that Pereira's hook is probably "the shortest left hook I've seen since Joe Lewis," sharing how Lewis "was famous for having six-inch punches, but that [shot from Pereira] was a three-inch hook – you don't see those.
"He's so smart and cerebral because he destroys your legs underneath and then in the second round, Jiri was putting his arms down for the low kick and he came high – a lot of people didn't even see that… He never saw it because reputation proceeds you [and] that reputation of the low kicks proceeded him."
Atlas, who also works as a boxing commentator on the ESPN network, stated that there is actually one aspect of Pereira's game that can be compared to the legendary basketball player Michael Jordan – his aura in the most dramatic of circumstances.
"The eyes, the calmness – being so calm in an uncalm environment. Michael Jordon used to talk about slowing things down, and very rarely do you see guys at that level slowing things down – he slows things down, things happen slower for him than anyone else."
Teddy Atlas on what he'd do vs Alex Pereira, makes bold comparison to boxing icons
If Teddy Atlas found himself cornering or training someone for a battle against Alex Pereira, there's one vital aspect of the game that he'd implement, one that Prochazka should have already been keenly aware of; "Keep your right hand up, that might be a good [place to] start."
"If I've got a guy fighting him in the gym, I am gluing his hand, crazy glue or Gorilla glue whichever works better, and I'm gluing his right hand to his cheek… I might even staple it."
Yet what about if Atlas himself was granted the opportunity to coach Pereira, what would be the one factor that he'd look to focus on?
"The jab – as great as his left hook is, his jab it's damn good. It's strong, straight and it's hard, he's got his base and that would be the only thing, maybe use the jab to hide the hook a little bit so that the guy's only looking for the hook as much."
Finally, Atlas was asked if there was anyone within the boxing realm, past or present, who could be an appropriate comparison to the legendary aura of Alex Pereira.
"Sonny Liston, Sonny Liston was the original bogeyman and this guy's a bogeyman. Sonny Liston and Roberto Duran."
Atlas explained how Pereira and Duran in particular share the same ability to get inside their opponent's head with something as simple as a pre-fight stare-down.
[Duran had] hollow eyes, dead cold eyes, I remember some fighters saying 'He ain't normal, he's the devil, there's nothing behind those eyes' and when you've got a guy starting to think that you've kind of [already] got the guy."
Another outstanding breakdown from the sporting icon, you can follow the legendary trainer breaking down the latest and greatest from the world of boxing via 'The Fight with Teddy Atlas' YouTube channel.
