We lived in a real rough place but my mother kept me straight.

I lost my first fight at the Boys Club at 11 years old and quit the team. My mother told me I had to go back because she didn't raise no quitter. I lost a second fight and quit again and still my mother wouldn't let me. She made me go back and try again.

The game's been good to me and I hope I've been good to the game. I'm 50 years old and I've pretty much did everything that I wanted to do in boxing.

A champion shows who he is by what he does.

They don't show Olympic boxing on TV in prime time. They haven't done that since 1988. In 1992, they showed one: Oscar De La Hoya. In 1996, they didn't show it. In 2000, they didn't show it. In 2004, they didn't show it. In 2008, they did not even mention boxing at all. You would think the United States didn't have a boxing team in 2008.

You cannot let something deter you from giving someone a rematch unless you are going to retire. If you are going to retire, go ahead, but if not, you need to do what you are going to do. You do not have to keep playing with the game of boxing. If you are going to fight, fight.

Odds are just the people opinion. Respect your own opinion.