“I was made to be where I’m at. I just had to go through some challenges, so that I can educate others later.”

I’ve done so many unpredictable things and so profoundly. Even the people who want to go against me, are afraid to go against me. They’ve been wrong so many times. A lot of them are just being mum right now. They must feel I can still do things.

I wouldn’t wanna fight me, because I know it wouldn’t be a good outcome for both.

I was told I would be back in 90 days. If I listened to people, I would be back where I came from – the penitentiary.

I’ve got a history of frustrating guys and making them angry.

There’s no great person that lived that didn’t go through scrutiny or ridicule and prosecution in all types of ways, to be who they are in history.

Prison is a thing where talking gets you killed. What gets you respect is you do. The guy that you fear is a guy that says nothing.

I didn’t need to take any fight for the last 10 years. But I’ve always fought the best and I’ve always wanted to prove myself to the best.

It takes no effort to be ordinary. Ordinary is not even a challenge. You can do nothing and be ordinary.

This is a great position to be in. I don’t really believe there is any fighter, in any decade that can be in my position of luxury that I’ve been in for many years.

I don’t know what being a 48-year-old feels like. There are a lot of 48 year olds that aren’t in good shape. The pharmacy is making a killing off of them.

This fight isn’t about boxing, it’s something deeper than that.

There are so many things I’ve done that the world of boxing has witnessed. It’s going to be difficult for the boxing people to pick one of my performances as the best.

There’s always a chance you will see something new in a fight. Especially in boxing.

The powers that be don’t want athletes or boxers to become as smart as they are.

I would never let a white boy beat me. You can print that. I would never lose to a white person.

I function better when my back is to the wall.

I didn’t get out of coaching to get back into it. This is my next challenge and I’m planning to work hard at it.

There is a tendency at every important but difficult crossroad to pretend that it’s not really there.

Consistent effort is a consistent challenge.

Then the challenge is, once you left brain it and build it, then when you’re on stage you have to know it so well that you can get lost in it. I don’t want to be onstage looking like a robot,

God knew we would make mistakes. Life is all about mistakes. It is constant change and growth. Our greatest challenges in life will one day be known to us as our greatest teachers.

One of the most important disciplines in journalism is to challenge your working premises.

You have a challenge; never quit!

[on BBC’s Sherlock] It’s a rare challenge, both for the audience and an actor, to take part in something with this level of intelligence and wit. You have to really enjoy it. It’s a form of mental and physical gymnastics.