“Boxing is a dying sport, really. Years ago, the world heavyweight champion could be said to have reached the highest pinnacle of sport. Even in this country, boxers were heroes. Think of Henry Cooper and Frank Bruno.”

Sometimes emotions can win fights. Sometimes letting your feelings out in a fight can win you the fight. When it means the world to you, it’s not just a sports contest – a boxing match for money or belts.

I can fight, but that’s the only thing I can do. When it comes to anything other than fighting or talking, I’m not very good.

Nothing has run smoothly with me throughout my life. Everything has had ups and downs and lefts and rights, and that’s just the way it has panned out for me, unfortunately.

Foolish people follow the system, get caught up in media news, what the government wants you to believe and all the higher powers want you to believe, and go down the same path as all the sheep in the cattle market.

I just want to make money, get on with my life, and be involved in good fights. If I’m not going to be involved in good fights, then what’s the point being a boxer?

Let’s make this clear: I do not hate anybody.

I will be dictated to by nobody. I’m the man. And if anyone can prove me wrong, their chance is inside a boxing ring. You don’t like it, change the station.

I have not met a man as tall as me who is as quick as me, ever.

I believe all woman look good in dresses; is that a crime?

Training’s training; boxing’s boxing. Everyone does the same kind of stuff: they spar, they train, they do whatever they do to prepare for fights.

I’m like the man who is always supposed to fight, but never ends up fighting. He just spends money.

There are lots of people in the world who have money. Lots of people in Morecambe have money, let alone the world. And Morecambe is quite a small place.

They are the three venues I wanted to box in – I wasn’t really interested in Las Vegas and all of them places. The three I always said was Croke Park, United, and Madison Square Garden.

I’m really excited about my future plans, as I’m doing things differently and currently training like a Trojan in pursuit of becoming heavyweight champion of the world.

I’m not even scared of the devil. If the devil confronted me, I’d confront him as well.

For me, it’s about being a star, being a superstar, and not just winning a world title but becoming the best-ever British fighter this country has ever had. That’s what I am, and that’s what I intend to do.

In Dortmund, they say the derby is more important than the championship. You can feel it around the game.

The biggest thrill a ballplayer can have is when your son takes after you. That happened when my Bobby was in his championship Little League game.

Before broadcasting for 50-some years, I did TV, played 10 years in the big leagues, won a world championship – and played a big part in that, too, letting the Cardinals inject me with hepatitis. Takes a big man to do that.

The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character.

If it weren’t for a new rule that came into being, we’d have played three years in a row in the championship game.

You’ve got to be a Lakers fan growing up in L.A. with all these championships.

I want to win four or five championship rings. That’s how I dream. I dream big.

A true champion will fight through anything.