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My father was champion of North Africa and he beat the European champ. He was very good, a professional for 12 years. We're from a big family of boxers. My father has seven brothers.

Boxing is a dying sport, really. Years ago, the world heavyweight champion could be said to have reached the highest pinnacle of sport. Even in this country, boxers were heroes. Think of Henry Cooper and Frank Bruno.

I didn't even know about amateur boxing, period.

Since I was a boy of five or six, I had it in my mind I would be a world boxing champion.

America is the mecca of boxing, and they've had some great champions here. It's good to establish your skills and let people know what you're about in the States.

My father was an army champion boxer... in the British army. And so he loved boxing and talked it up as a sport. But then when my brother and I were beating the crap out of each other, he was always trying to tone it down. But I am a fan of boxing.

With amateur boxing, you're just entered into a competition. And to be the best, you've got to beat the best. You're not waiting around to get these fights organised.

Boxing is a sport, but it's also entertainment. I wanted to transcend the sport and be considered just not as a fighter, or a champion, but someone very special.