That was the fight. I knew that I had done something that no man had been able to do to a champion.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I didn't think I was so tough until I did 'Champion'; then I was a tough guy.
I don't think about fights that didn't happen.
The situation right after the fight wasn't too good; I believe I'm still the only champion in the world who never received the belt inside the ring once you've won the title. I held that against the English fans for a long time but I felt that also motivated me.
If you can believe this, I didn't fight for my first world title fight till I had 58 fights, so I really appreciated what I was fighting for and for whom as well.
I've never turned down a fight in the UFC. Even when I was champ, I never turned down a fight.
Looking back, I couldn't get enough fights because Don King owned most of the top 10 fighters, and he never gave me a fight.
Even though I had been boxing, I had no idea I could beat somebody in the ring. And I had no idea I could really take a punch. When I realized that, I really started taking off.
Anytime you fight a champion, you got to watch the tape closely and study him closely.
I think the reason I hadn't fought was just the aftermath of the Botha fight. You put so much into a fight, and people just talk about it like it was a bit of a farce or something.
Listen, I'm the champ, and I'm not going to pick and choose who I fight.