I took up boxing out of sheer interest and to help my parents financially.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
But boxing was my profession. I had to go back the second time because I was broke and I couldn't just go and get a college degree and earn it. I had too many bills, too many families.
My dad just wanted me to find something to do to keep me out of trouble. Boxing was the great escape.
When I was 17 or 18, I realised I could do something with boxing.
I was lucky. I held on to some of my money. I didn't really know what I wanted to do after boxing. But I found what I wanted to do.
Boxing gave me the opportunities to grow into the person that I am today.
When I was a little kid I wanted to be an artist or a painter. But once I got into boxing, all I wanted was to box.
When I was boxing I made five million and wound up broke, owing the government a million.
Boxing was just another one to keep me going as a child.
I was drawn to boxing because I got beat up as a kid. I was the kid with the piano books in a New York neighbourhood.
Everything in our family was always boxing. It was the life my father chose for me.