In Soviet times the border was closed so we couldn't get out of the country, and I had been reading Robinson Crusoe. I wanted to see the ocean, I wanted to see boats, I wanted to see black people, because we didn't have that in the Soviet Union. I was all excited by that stuff.

I run, but boxing conditioning is different, so you have to get used to running in the ring. Boxing movements are very different. Swimming is one of the best because every single muscle is working. I swim a lot. I train very hard at things that mimic boxing. I have to do mostly sport-specific training, such as lots of sparring.

I prepare for my fights to well that I don't wanna give a chance to my opponent to crash my 'glass chin' as they say, so I'm knocking them in the way that I like.

I should say that mental strength is No. 1, experience [is] No. 2, physical strength is No. 3, and genetic ability that you're getting from Mother Nature probably comes after.

On your way to the top, you always get some chriticism. Criticism is a great motivation.

Obsession is love in an extreme shape.

I think that there's only one nationality and one language in the sport, and you call it performance.