Teddy Atlas

I often say to the athletes, that I know about their 'neon skills' - the ones that light up and make them easily recognizable. The power of a fighter, the finesse, the agility, the legs, the quickness. But what about being steady, or being dependable? These are more important traits.

The worst thing is for a fighter to be in the ring with no hope - where he's missing and getting caught. You need to have hope.

Every day in camp is a difficult day because you worry whether or not you're going to get it right. You worry - or I do, at least - whether or not you're going to live up to the trust as the trainer that the fighter gave you when he asked you to train him.

If we have anything in common as humans it's the instinct to survive. When you go in the ring you are going against that instinct. You're running into conflict instead of away from That's when the complexity really begins.

You're not in a fight until there's pressure. Resistance. Overcoming something. Otherwise, it's just an exhibition.

I was 14 when I placed a bet on Muhammad Ali to beat Joe Frazier in their first fight. There was something magical about Ali, like the first time I heard Ray Charles sing 'America The Beautiful' or Louie Armstrong blow the trumpet - feeling as if they could influence the cosmos, make anything right when they performed.

It does not matter who is stronger or more aggressive or even throws harder punches. All that matters is what lands.

When you have power, that's your confessional booth - you can go in there and confess and be cleaned of all sins. If the fight isn't going your way, but you land a big punch, the fight is different from that point on.