Boxing legend Teddy Atlas reacts to Sean O'Malley's masterclass at UFC 260
Legendary boxing coach Teddy Atlas has heaped praise on UFC bantamweight Sean O'Malley. The 64-year-old compared 'Sugar' to Naseem Ahmed of the 1980s and referred to him as a "special talent."
Sean O'Malley put in a dominant performance at UFC 260 to beat Thomas Almeida in the third round of the fight. He hurt the Brazilian early in the first frame after securing a knockdown. However, O'Malley, attempting to execute a walk-off knockout, chose not to pounce upon the opportunity to finish Almeida.
Nevertheless, Sean O'Malley scored a knockout in the final round that certainly impressed Teddy Atlas. The popular boxing trainer and commentator was full of praise for O'Malley. He took to Twitter to acknowledge Sugar's unorthodox fighting style.
"I got to prove a lot of stupid people that they are stupid" - Sean O'Malley
In the post-fight interview, Sean O'Malley gave due credit to Thomas Almeida for surviving in the first round. He then proceeded to silence his critics.
"I got to prove a lot of stupid people that they are stupid."
With O'Malley getting back into the win column, it is likely that he will mark his return to the top 15 of the bantamweight division rankings. The 26-year-old had suffered the first defeat of his career against Marlon Vera at UFC 252 in August last year.
O'Malley claims that he lost to Vera because he succumbed to a leg injury during the fight. That said, a potential rematch between him and Vera could soon be on the cards.