Lennox Lewis

"If I could fight anyone it would be Jack Johnson - he was so ahead of his time. I would like to have the opportunity to fight Tyson too and I'm sure it will arise if he can face me. I would not like to have fought Muhammed Ali as I have too much respect for him on a personal and professional level. Larry Holmes, Ali's ex-sparring partner, fought Muhammed Ali and hated himself after giving him an unnecessary beating after winning. The only reason he won was because of Ali's ageing boxing skills."

"I have always been English, ever since I emigrated from England and since the kids in Canada beat me up at the age of twelve for having an East London Cockney accent. I thank them for the cockney taunts because the beatings turned me on to boxing. But on a serious note Canada has been kind to me."

"I've found that taking shortcuts will get you to the place you don't want to be much quicker than they get u to the place u want to be."

"Action is what separates the do-ers from the dreamers."

"The danger of a closed mind is that it can also leave good things like love, compassion and reason on its outside."

"Adversity is something that makes reaching your goals so much more rewarding than if it didn't exist. ."

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

"In boxing, if you think you will lose..you're already halfway there."

"Lennox is beyond doubt the greatest heavyweight of all-time. He is not second any more, he is there at the top of the tree. It reminded me of a young George Foreman and an elusive Muhammad Ali - everything you want in a fighter."

"Lennox is right up there with George Foreman and Muhammad Ali and he has proved himself the best heavyweight out there."

"I have known for a long time now that Lennox is the best heavyweight since Ali and the world should now acknowledge that."