I used to say to my opponents: 'If you let me beat you, I'm going to tell your kids you were beaten by an older man.' When I beat them I would tell them I did it with a slight hamstring problem or that I was only feeling 80 per cent fit.
If you want to beat me up, feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself.
Before I beat Groves people were questioning whether I was good enough to beat him, and I was the underdog and that provides pressure. Now it's the opposite; through beating Groves people expect me to go in and wipe opponents out.
I had a good chance when I went to Beijing and the guy who beat me, I'd beaten him three weeks before and he went on to win silver.
Usyk could beat me - he's beaten better than me, so he could beat me - but I just don't think he will, and I will find a way.
I've beaten Jordan Mein. I've beaten Tarec Saffiedine. Some people might have said I beat Stephen Thompson. I beat Robbie Lawler. These are the greatest strikers in our sport, but I'm the only one out of all those guys that outstruck the best strikers, and I still don't get the credit for being the best striker in our division.
What I want to say is that nobody is unbeatable. There's a kid out there who probably wants to beat me. I train hard and try to be the best that I can be, but I don't disrespect my opponents. I am not disillusioned, either.
It's a challenge, but every single German or Canadian I want to beat, I still have to love them. That means competing the way God wants me to compete and helping my opponents if they have a need.
I've said many times I don't want to pick opponents, and I don't want the UFC to pick opponents to give me an easier route, or anyone else.
The hype around Ronda is incredible and it's created this aura of invincibility. If you let that play with your mind, you'll be beaten before the bell rings. She's a great fighter, but I know I can beat her and I don't let that aura of invincibility bother me.
I think there's something wrong with me - I like to win in everything I do, regardless of what it is. You want to race down the street, I want to beat you. If we're playing checkers, I want to win. You beat me, it's going to bother me. I just enjoy competition.
I don't look at computers as opponents. For me it is much more interesting to beat humans.
I was in an adolescent psychology class at Citadel when the guy said, if you had a mother who was beaten, there's a great chance you'll beat your wife. And if you were beaten as a child, there's a terrific chance you're going to be a child-beater.
Someone was hurt before you, wronged before you, hungry before you, frightened before you, beaten before you, humiliated before you, raped before you... yet, someone survived... You can do anything you choose to do.
You want to beat Peter?" she asked "No," he answered "Beat the buggers. Then come home and see who notices Peter Wiggen anymore. Look him in the eye when all the world loves and reveres you. That'll be defeat in his eyes, Ender, thats how you win" "You don't understand" he said "Yes i do" "No you don't. I don't want to beat Peter" "Then what do you want?" "I want him to love me
If you look at Joshua's six opponents before he fought for the world title, Wilder's six opponents before the world title, Tyson's six opponents. The guys I fought and the guys they fought, it's the difference between night and day.