People know I was the last true champion.

Boxing isn't just about brute strength; it's about skill and outwitting your opponent.

Fighters used to be afraid of the Russians, Cubans but then I'd figure them out and figure out how to beat them.

The media can make boxers, controls who makes it big and who doesn’t. They can build up fighters or knock them down.

As a boxer I took the liberty of using not only my fists, but also my head.

Sometimes the image of the intellectual boxer did for me more harm than good. If a boxer has a reputation as an intellectual, some people no longer respect him as a fighter. With me it was always ‘Lennox should react, not think’. But that’s nonsense. Only the guy who controls his opponent wins.

Boxing and chess are similar. It’s about the choice of means. Sometimes I need a pawn, a bishop or a knight to defeat my opponent. It’s about finding the best way. A good boxer has to be variable. He doesn’t just need to know how to punch. He must also know how to protect himself, how to defend, how to avoid the opponent’s punches. Only a complete fighter can become champion.