I watched tapes and became a historian of the sport, and tried to combine certain elements and find things in the gym and saw what worked for me.

I love boxing, and boxing has always been my favorite sport. I was always into it, and I boxed recreationally all of my life.

I take my hat off to my friend, Mark Wahlberg, because I know that it took him a long time to make 'The Fighter,' and he overcame a lot of obstacles to do it, and now the film is an unqualified success.

The greatest gift that an actor can have is good scripts because then you're relieved of the responsibility of trying to elevate the material.

I love the whole world of boxing and the sense of community that exists there.

I had been in the gym training for many, many years, but I definitely stepped it up when it was time to get into shape to play 'Lights'. I began trying to live the life of a boxer, and that means everything that you would expect.

When I do a movie, I have the script. I know how it begins and how it ends. I know what my character does and where he's going. If I have ideas I want to express or changes I want to make, there's one guy: the director. It's different in television.