When I was 15 years old, I left school and became a professional boxer.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
When I was 17 or 18, I realised I could do something with boxing.
In order to understand the mindset of a boxer, I needed to become a boxer myself.
I've been a boxing fan ever since I was a kid.
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.
I ran into a couple of guys who were boxers. They talked me into working out at their gym. I became obsessed with boxing and the idea of becoming a champion.
Boxing gave me the opportunities to grow into the person that I am today.
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.
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.
I wanted to win the gold medal and then go home and further my education in college. I had no intentions whatsoever to become a professional fighter because I had heard horror stories about former boxers who made money but, in the end, ended up with nothing. I didn't want to be one of those guys.
I was 11 when I started boxing. My brother was fighting before I did, and he got me into it.