For the first and only time, I was more worried about getting hurt by the crowd than by the guy I was fighting. I got a pretty good blast when introduced. The crowd was hollering and raising hell. I looked around for my bodyguard, a colorful New York character named Wild Bill Lyons, who packed two pearl-handled pistols and used to talk a lot about his days in the West. Wild Bill was under the ring, hiding.

Tell him he can have my title, but I want it back in the morning.

A champion owes everybody something. He can never pay back for all the help he got, for making him an idol.

Champions get up when they can't.

A Gentle Man and a Gentleman.

Tall men come down to my height when I hit 'em in the body.

By forgetting the past and by throwing myself into other interests, I forget to worry.