Mike Tyson has to be one of my greatest all time fighters. Muhammad Ali. I like going back looking at the classics like Roberto Duran. I like the old time fighters, when you had a champion in the old days you really had a true champion. Muhammad Ali would take on anybody. You had the greats fighting everybody.

I'm in love with boxing. It fell into my lap and I have been in love with it ever since.

I look up to Bernard Hopkins as a fighter. I'm honored to be his co-main event and to be able to give a great performance.

I only want to fight real champions; I want to fight real opponents, so that I can climb the latter.

When I say I'm a true welterweight I'm talking about every fighter that has ever moved into the welterweight division.

All I ever wanted was to be like Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard. Back in the day American people knew who they were and I want them to now know Keith 'One Time' Thurman.

There are certain fighters that if they want to remain relevant they will have to get through me.