“My dream was to play for Alabama – football, basketball.”

I’m not playing around in 2016.

I was raised by both parents up to 17. We had a good family. We had a middle class family, good teaching and good surroundings, raised by the church, where I went every week whether I wanted to or not.

I definitely got into a lot of fights when I was a kid. I never understood it. I was one of those quiet kids. I never picked with no one.

I’m looking forward to the fighting with no headgear – I’m jealous. I kind of want to go back to the Olympics to experience no headgear.

I didn’t even know about amateur boxing, period.

All my prayers go out to Tyson Fury. I know it’s difficult to be in his situation.

Going to Russia is going to be nothing for me. I’m going to treat it like it’s the U.S. because, at the end of the day, it’s one man, one ring.

I like to have fun in the ring, but I knock them out.

I can be a tennis player, a golf player, and even a soccer player.

I don’t play boxing.

The craziest thing about it, I used to hate fighting, but you had to show how tough you was; you had to show you wasn’t no punk.

I want to put my name in history. I love history.

I have so many things that I want to do with my life. I just don’t see myself being a fighter forever. Boxing is my love and passion. It also opens up and sets up other things in my life as well.

I can adapt to any environment or any situation I need to, so I am ready to go to Russia. You take what you get or start crying about it, but I am re-doing ‘Rocky IV.’ I am doing the black ‘Rocky.’

I could put everything I got in the bank on my abilities and skill and will, and what I’m capable of doing in the ring.

It’s a great feeling to be the WBC champ of the world, but there’s more to gain from this.

A leader can’t make excuses. There has to be quality in everything you do. Off the court, on the court, in the classroom.

It’s not about the number of hours you practice, it’s about the number of hours your mind is present during the practice.

What I’m doing right now, I’m chasing perfection and if I don’t get it, I’m going to get this close.

My role is to make sure we’re moving in the right direction, getting points, rebounds, steals, assists and providing leadership.

I think that game is a testament to what happens when you put no ceiling to what you’re capable of doing.

Everybody wants to talk about NBA players being selfish and arrogant and individuals. But what you saw today was a team bonding and facing adversity and coming out with a big win.

Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

Its better to shoot and miss, then to let time run out and wonder what if.