Quote collection
76 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"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."
"After about 25 fights you don't always have to keep going to the bathroom before the fight."
"Different fights bring out different things. I consider myself a seasoned professional. I have done things in the gym that have not come out yet. People would be amazed if they saw me train."
"I was very aggressive as a child. At primary school in London my attitude was 'If you don't do what I say, I'll knowk you out', and I was eventually expelled for fighting."
"Fighters used to be afraid of the Russians, Cubans but then I'd figure them out and figure out how to beat them."
"Patience is a part of boxing. After I had missed out on the Olympic gold medal in 1984, a lot of people tried to talk me into turning professional quickly to make money. They told me that the next Olympics in Seoul would be boycotted again, that I was wasting my life, blah blah. But I still had unfinished business. I wanted the gold medal, and I got it in 88. Only then was I ready to turn professional."
"I could never stand big-mouthed types. I had problems with that at high school. Ive still got the scars on my fists from the teeth of the guys I hit so that theyd finally shut up. I came from England to Canada, of course, and was often ridiculed because I had a strange accent. I was expelled from school and it was a long time before I could control myself. But the impulse remained: a punch in the mouth to get some peace and quiet."
"Boxing and chess are similar. Its about the choice of means. Sometimes I need a pawn, a bishop or a knight to defeat my opponent. Its about finding the best way. A good boxer has to be variable. He doesnt just need to know how to punch. He must also know how to protect himself, how to defend, how to avoid the opponents punches. Only a complete fighter can become champion."
"You've got to understand that everything has its time. I had wonderful years as a boxer, I achieved everything. I dont miss anything."
"As a boxer I took the liberty of using not only my fists, but also my head."
"The media can make boxers, controls who makes it big and who doesnt. They can build up fighters or knock them down."
"A great champion needs a background in amateur boxing, I'm convinced of that. There you learn everything that youll need later as a pro. Someone whos got more than 400 amateur fights behind him no longer gets nervous before going into the ring and doesnt lose his nerve during a fight. You know all the boxing styles, youre prepared for anything, youve got the pedigree that you need to be a successful pro."
"Mike Tyson fit the American ideal of a boxer. A fighter who jumps out of his corner and hits out fiercely. Thats what he'll be remembered for. But good boxing doesnt work like that. Tyson never won on points. It was clear that he'd come a cropper some day."
"I don't have anything else to prove."
"I don't see where Tyson Fury has boxed anybody of Wladimir's [ Klitschko] calibre to be able to get in the ring with Wladimir and do well."
"The fact is that Mike Tyson bit through my trousers and took a significant piece of flesh out of my thigh."
"Thomas Hauser respects boxing and boxers. He gives readers insight into what happens in and out of the ring. Everything he writes is fair-minded and reality-based with a human touch."
"When I saw Tyson knocking everybody out on TV, I thought, He's goooood. But when I saw him in person, he didn't look as awesome."
"During the past twenty-three years, I have set a number of goals for myself and I’m proud to say that these goals have been achieved."
"Now I am ready to set new goals and start a new career for myself outside of the ring."