I have always adhered to two principles. The first one is to train hard and get in the best possible physical condition. The second is to forget all about the other fellow until you face him in the ring and the bell sounds for the fight.
I started rooting - you know, sticking up joints - with some older guys. By now I had gotten a taste of what the racket world really was - the glamour, the way they dressed, the way they always had a pocketful of money.
I was the best street fighter in history when I was growing up on the Lower East Side. Hell, I never lost a street fight. Never. I thought I could lick Jack Dempsey or Joe Louis or anybody. I was fantastic.
[last title cards] Title card: Two years later Jim Braddock put his title on the line against Joe Louis. Jim knocked him down in the first round though Louis went on to win the bout. Joe Louis would always call Jim Braddock the most courageous man he...
I define fear as standing across the ring from Joe Louis and knowing he wants to go home early.
I wanted to be the best street fighter in Houston, Texas. And I thought if I got a trophy or two, I'd go back home, and everyone would be afraid of me. I had one fight in '67, the first one. In '68 of October, I was an Olympic gold-medalist, a dream ...
I think that every boxer should understand he's on the pedestal for a short span. It's best that you use boxing and don't let boxing use you. Use boxing to sell, because people are selling you through your boxing career, so you have to learn to sell ...
I don't think Joe Louis could take the punches today fighting in this era.
The reality of growing up is we changed schools so many times, my brother was my best friend. We have a five-year age gap, and my brother inspired me. He started boxing, and I just want to show that I could do things better than him.
I run, but boxing conditioning is different, so you have to get used to running in the ring. Boxing movements are very different. Swimming is one of the best because every single muscle is working. I swim a lot. I train very hard at things that mimic...
I liked St. Louis, when they were in the American League, because that was going home. I had all my family and friends there.
Looking back, yes, I made too many comebacks. But each comeback I was 100 percent sure that I would win. I never came back for the money, because I didn't need it. The adulation I was getting anyway in other spheres. But I'm a guy who likes to see ho...
I've been through the process qualifying for the World Cup, which is an amazing, two-year process. It was an honor to represent the U.S. and to represent the city of Los Angeles and California.
I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I'm in a world of my own.
I played in Joe Louis in a playoff game. I played there when the roof caved in for half a season. The facility is great for basketball because it goes straight up, so you feel like the fans are on top of you.
Joe Louis was one of my closest friends.... I'm a great boxing fan. I used to go to the American Legion Stadium in Hollywood, every Friday night for 15 years. Down the aisle would come Lupe Velez, Johnny Weismuller, Mae West. All at ringside.
Detective Richie Roberts: [Referring to Frank Lucas] His seats were phenomenal better seats than Dominic Cattano, Joe Louis shook his hand, who the fuck is this guy?
Louis Connelly: Great sounds kid. Gibson J200? [August nods] Louis Connelly: It's beautiful. Can I see her? [August looks uncertainly over at Wizard who is talking on the phone] Louis Connelly: Hey, it's okay. I'm a musician too. [August and Louis sw...
Louis: I don't have that record... I'll buy it for forty. Rob: Sold. Louis: Now why would you sell it to me and not to him? Barry: Because you're not a geek, Louis. Louis: You guys are snobs. Dick: No, we're not. Louis: Yeah, seriously, you're totall...
[Louis and Melanie are looking at a picture] Melanie: That's Japan. Louis: Uh, looks like... I can... It shows... Melanie: Wanna fuck? Louis: Yeah. [three minutes later] Melanie: That was fun. Louis: Yeah, that hit the spot. Melanie: Now, we can catc...
All the champions - you go and ask Mike Tyson or Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Lennox Lewis and myself included, and I'm sorry for putting myself in line with all the other great names - but the champion's attitude is it doesn't matter who is in front o...