Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
I'm going to say hello to two friends who I've shut out of my life for the past 10 weeks while I trained the hardest I've ever done for a fight. So welcome back Mr Guinness and Mr Dom Perignon.
You have to understand, in this fight, the physical condition and technical preparation are not as important as character and will. The one who's willing to go until the end will win the match.
Normally, I would run with a group of guys in my camps. A couple of days before the fight, I would run by myself. That was my time to choreograph the fight in my head, so I needed to be myself.
I've been able to not only fulfill my dreams and become a world champion, but there's been so many different opportunities that just blow my mind and opportunities that I never thought I'd have.
I wanted to box when I was 7, but I couldn't because in Philadelphia you need to be 10 to get insurance. So me and my dad waited 3 years until I could sign up, and I've been fighting since then.
Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity - I admire wise men. Some of my favorite forms of history are religious history, what the sages say from the top of the mountain and how they view life.
I want to do some stuff in America, see things here. Maybe rent a driver and an RV. I want to see the redwoods. Bucket list. Something that's been there forever, one of the wonders of the world.
People like to see me fight. A name can only take you so far. There are only a few fighters out of the thousands of boxers out there that have name recognition. I'm definitely not upset by that.
I'm not in the K-1 tournament. We thought about it but they really don't want me as they feel I might get hurt so that's fine with me but I do see a lot of guys out there that I feel I can take.
Mosley is bigger than me. He's fast and his hand speed is still there. He's faster than most of my opponents. He's also preparing hard and he's also good, so we never underestimate our opponent.
I still can’t believe [ Muhammad Ali ] knows my name. It astounds me he knows who I am. I first met Ali in 1976. I was locked up in a juvenile home and he came to visit. I’ve never forgotten it.
I said a lot of things in the heat of the moment that I shouldn't have said. Called him names I shouldn't have called him. I apologise for that. I'm sorry. It was all meant to promote the fight.
Muhammad Ali was the one who started it, winding up his opponents, but he always did it with a twinkle in his eye and a bit of class about him. Mayweather is just insulting from start to finish.
I can get a title shot any time I want to. They know I can beat 110% of the champions out there right now. I just have to be motivated. Most of them are going to be trying to not give me a shot.
I run with music all the time. I cannot run without my iPod. I have everything. Teddy Pendergrass. Luther Van Dross. Michael Jackson. Outkast. If an Usher song comes on and it's fast, I go fast.
Any man who puts a pair of gloves on deserves respect because lots wouldn't dream of it. To get in there and go one-on-one, you need your hand shaking afterwards. Many men wouldn't get involved.
The belt doesn't represent me; it's how you deal with people, how you represent yourself as a champion. The belt is a sign of a champion, but what makes a champion is the things I have just said.
We managed to get underway, and I don't know to this day why we didn't get struck or take a torpedo, but we didn't. We got outside of the exit of the harbor and we started dropping depth charges.
He's got a rematch clause in his contract but I'm not sure if he's going to want to exercise that rematch but if he does, I'd happily oblige. I'll go over to Canada and give him another whooping.
What I will say though is that I've got quite a big back, from doing pull-ups, and that will make your punches more solid. But in terms of the hardness of your punch, it's about timing and speed.
I always give Calzaghe credit. He was a great fighter, really tough, unbeaten in 46 fights. He's never, ever given me any props at all. And for that I'd love to punch him in the face really hard.
I have so many memories, and I love music because you can listen to a song when you're at a certain place or doing something special and that particular song will always remind you of that thing.
When I was younger, my dad did want me to be perfect, so that's probably why that's installed in me to this day. I want to be perfect at whatever I do. I can't help it. It's just installed in me.
The integration of a headgear in professional boxing would do so much to make it safer for young men. They could go into the sport, make a lot of money and then come out and be good grandfathers.
I love the UFC. I love it. If they had had that back when I was coming up, in 1966, it would have been my sport. Man, I love it. And you know what? Nobody would have pulled the rope-a-dope on me.
It wasn't about Larry Holmes, if I would have fought a brother I wouldn't have gotten the money I got. Give me 10 black guys and I make eight dollars. Give me Gerry Cooney and I make $10 million.
I think Ali was a fan of mine, even though he never said it. A lot of fighters thought I was pretty good. Nobody every really spoke different on that. But a lot of fighters thought I was good so.
When I was fighting Tyrell Biggs, Tyson was telling me at ringside to hit him to the ribs. We always had a mutual respect for each other since we sparred those early times. We got that over with.
There are no little fights for me. I consider every fighter dangerous. You lose when you think a fighter is not on your level and then he comes in hungrier than you. That will never happen to me.
I trained in Provincetown, Mass. Back then, they didn't have all the tourists on Cape Cod. Very isolated. Very good spot. I called it the jail. All you could do was train, run, walk, talk boxing.
No one wants to get up at 4 and run when it's pitch-dark, but it has to be done. The only reason i do it so early is because i believe the other guy isn't doing it and that gives me a little edge
I have learned to live my life one step, one breath, and one moment at a time, but it was a long road. I set out on a journey of love, seeking truth, peace and understanding. I am still learning.
Put yourself out on a limb, sucka, like me! - young Cassius Clay to heavily favored thug Sonny Liston during the weigh in before Cassius wins his first title and changes his name to Muhammad Ali.
I have more fans and more followers and more supporters. Because the people who actually saw the Joe Frazier Muhammad Ali fight, they saw me win at least nine rounds - the people who know boxing.
Rocky is a poor Italian boy from a poor Italian family, and he appreciates the buck more than almost anybody. He's only got two halfway decent purses so far, and it was like a tiger tasting blood
It's a big move from the 'Tough Man' circuit to professional boxing. When I turned pro, I had to play catch-up and was fighting almost twice a month until I had more than 20 fights under my belt.
My mom had struggles. My dad had struggles. He raised me as a single parent. I rebelled and almost quit amateur boxing, but my faith in God had a lot to do with me slowly getting my life together.
Andre Ward beat me fair and square on points in a boring fight, a dull affair. Same as when he beat Kessler. Headbutted him to bits, but he knows how to win. He wins ugly, but he knows how to win.
They say the only thing that your parents don't teach you is how to live without them, but my grandma's religious beliefs allowed me to accept death even though it was so hard to live without her.
Maccarinelli thinks he can use me to make a name for himself, but that is not going to happen. He has made his fame by fighting nobodies. I've fought all the way to the top against top contenders.
I appreciate all my fans. I appreciate anybody who has asked me for an autograph, or has complimented me as a fighter. When I go to the Hall of Fame events, I'm always well received and respected.
My father loves people. No matter what their race, no matter what their position in life, he treated everyone with kindness and love and respect. And that was instilled in me just by watching him.
I was never offended that people underestimated me because of my appearance or that they thought I was pretty and discouraged me from fighting because they didn't want me to risk hurting my looks.
I'm private in the sense that I like my personal space and only want people in the parts of my business that I choose to share. Anything I feel is too personal to share publicly, I keep to myself.
I don't react to a tragic happening any more. I took so many bad things as a kid and some people think I don't care about anything. It's just too hard for me to get emotional. I can't cry no more.
God tries you in certain, certain ways. Some people are rich, and they believe in God. They lose the money, things get hard, they get weak and quit going to church. Quit serving God like they did.
If you wonder what the difference between them and me is, I'll break the news: you never heard of them. Most of them ... can fight almost as good as I can. I'm just saying you never heard of them.
I don't think anyone in that Roc Nation office gets eight hours of sleep; I highly doubt it. They're constantly working, and they're on top of everything, and they have a department for everything.
I was raised well. My parents are from Nigeria; their culture is respectful. Very respectful. But I learnt that you have to be determined. It's not violence or aggression. It's sheer determination.
I'm a hobbiest. There's a lot of hobbies that I have. But I've never devoted anything that I've devoted my time and effort to the sport of boxing. It consumes who I am as a person and as a fighter.