My whole life, nothing was handed to me. I had to go out in the world and get it.

I am a welterweight, so do I want to fight Mayweather or Pacquiao? To be honest, it has not entered my head.

The Hatton fight left a bad taste in my mouth.

You can teach defensive wizardry, but you need the talent to go with it. You have to be born with that natural defensive radar.

There was a time in Amir Khan's career when you had to fight him; you couldn't really box him. You wouldn't see Amir take beatings: if he lost, he would just get caught and stopped. It was hard to catch him clean and keep up with him in the ring because he was such a dynamic fighter.

It's always been a dream of mine to fight for the European title.

I'm proud of my Italian roots, and I've always believed that I would get the chance to fight for the belt.

I'm looking forward to a long, fruitful career now behind the mic, staying around the sport I love so much and the sport that changed my life for the better.

Guys get hurt in fights. It doesn't mean you stop a fight every time somebody gets hurt.

You've got to be really hurt to stop a fight, especially to stop a championship fight.

Preparation in Miami is always good because of the weather.

You need new ways to keep motivating yourself, and creative ways are part of the formula.

Once you come to America, you're fighting top fighters. They're not going to let you get away with the guys you're fighting in England: you're going to have to fight constant monsters.

Sometimes when you get older, you need to tone down the trash talking, and sometimes you need younger fighters to bring it out of you.

UFC has unbelievable fans, and boxing has unbelievable fans.

It is tougher to control range on a guy who is as tall, lengthy, and busy as Amir Khan, who has a very good jab.

I'm telling you, Amir Khan gives Floyd Mayweather problems.

Kevin Johnson is the kind of guy that gives guys trouble. He gives a lot of guys trouble. He gave Vitali Klitschko trouble.

To say 'I quit' brings a lot of criticism, but to get disqualified and say the ref was unfair and harsh, in denial - fans will jump on that.

In camp, you're supposed to get comfortable at being uncomfortable; you have to be ready for when you are being punched in the mouth.

Linares is one of those fighters that always oozes quality and class.

Sometimes, when it comes to multiple-weight world champions, they have so much skill that it eliminates the excitement out of the fights.

For me, that is what made Leonard-Hearns stand out, because they made adjustments on each other, and it went back and forth continually. One had the advantage, then the other, then back to the first one, and so on.

Being the champion and getting a unification fight in your house gives you certain advantages.

I'm sure Adrien Broner would jump at the opportunity to pick up two belts in one night, and I think a lot of big names would take that opportunity.

They put everything that's wrong with boxing in one room, did everything that's wrong with boxing in that room, and gave birth to Adrien Broner.

I have always admired Zab's skills, and his resume speaks for itself.

I can't make it doing anything else, the amount of money. Obviously, anybody can go to work and make money, but the paycheck I make boxing, I'm not going to make anywhere else.

I don't really have the desire, as far as love of the game. It's more about the paycheck I can make.

We both do a lot of similar things with speed and boxing ability, but I think I've got some tricks up my sleeve for Zab. Zab will probably tell you he's got some tricks up his sleeve for me.

Sometimes it's kind of strange, and it's definitely something I have to work on in the future, but when I'm big favourite in fights, it's almost like I try too hard and try to force things to happen. That always seems to take a bad turn and makes my performance look bad, even if I win.

In fights when I've had the odds stacked against me, I definitely perform better because it's like a challenge to me - and I always like a challenge.

I just try to be the best fighter I can be.

I wouldn't be surprised if I knocked Ricky Hatton out. It's something that people are going to read and think I'm ridiculous, but if you look beyond what you see with naked eye, every time he gets hit clean, he's hurt.

The Americans love Carl Froch. He has brought nothing but excitement to these shores in those Super Six victories he produced.

As long as the crowd make noise, I will be in my element, whether it is booing or cheering. The main thing is I get a reaction of some kind.

I have got better over the years, and I know what sort of fighter I am.

I would love to fight Ricky Hatton.

People say I don't punch hard, but I say, 'Get in the ring with me and see if it hurts.'

I have the experience to beat Hatton. I've been on the big stage.

I fought Miguel Cotto in Madison Square Garden on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day parade - it was like fighting the devil in Hell.

At training camp, you brainwash yourself into thinking every,day is the same, no weekends or holidays. It's all the same - a work day. You develop a mental state to just work hard and get ready for the fight.

People are going to forget all about Herman Ngoudjo after our fight.

Madison Square Gardens is the Mecca of boxing.

I'm not a hypocrite and I'm a transparent person.

It's a gift to be offered the opportunity to play the World Cup.

I never take free kicks because it's not my job.

It is the dream of every player. Imagine winning the World Cup in your own country. It would be the happiest day of my career.

Here in the Premier League you need to be very quick mentally. Spaces are shorter and the game is much more tactical and tight.

I did not have to prove anything to people who doubted me, just to my team-mates and to Barcelona. The best thing is to do it on the field, with victories, with goals. But more than the goals is winning matches.