I retired and came back in '97. Woo! I mean, come on! I don't know, man. A six-year layoff? That was crazy! My career was relatively short, whether you look at either its length in years or the number of fights I had. But it was brutal.
I'll think, If this is his first punch, how are the others gonna feel? That's the only fear I have for myself
Except for Ali, fighters had never been marketable.
It was a whole different world, and Montreal was an absolutely beautiful setting unlike anywhere I'd ever been before. So, Montreal in '76 was an encompassing experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Although it was a great accomplishment to win a gold medal, as soon as they put it on you, that's it; your career is over.
In Italy, I had an Afro, and a lot of the kids came up and felt my hair. It really was funny. I wish I had understood Italian.
No one but myself thought I could beat guys like Tommy Hearns or Roberto Duran
They say that I'm stubborn, and my wife says that, too, but it's paid off so far.
