Patience is a part of boxing. After I had missed out on the Olympic gold medal in 1984, a lot of people tried to talk me into turning professional quickly to make money. They told me that the next Olympics in Seoul would be boycotted again, that I was wasting my life, blah blah. But I still had unfinished business. I wanted the gold medal, and I got it in ‘88. Only then was I ready to turn professional.

I always ask myself why old heavyweights come back, but I plan to stay out of the ring.

It's not rage that drives me, it's competition.

Sometimes success needs interruption to regain focus and shake off complacency.

Now I am ready to set new goals and start a new career for myself outside of the ring.

Vitali [Klitschko] does want to fight me, but his promoter wants to be bigger than him. This is another situation of politics in the sport.

People want to see me back in the ring. I think it is more of a drag lying around on the beach.