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

I function better when my back is to the wall.

The media here know that there's the possibility that I can pull this off. I'm confident. Confidence comes with work. When you prepare yourself and you know you're going into combat with all of your bullets, you have the confidence to go into battle.

The Pavlik fight was the first time I heard the masses put the word knockout attached to my opponent. I'm real keen on what people say. Ninety percent of it might be garbage, but something in there might be the plan. That woke me up and I knew I wanted to destroy.

Understand that I'm at my best when it comes to proving a point, not only to show that I'm a better fighter and a better athlete at 40½ years old, but I'm at my best when I know I've got to beat the system again.

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