QUOTES from Canastota!!
The International Boxing Hall of Fame’s annual Induction Weekend had its share of memorable quotes and quips from boxing’s biggest stars, both past and present. The following are just a few of the lines that will be forever remembered as the IBHOF honored their newest class of 2008.
Ed “Too Tall Jones on boxing: “I would trade in all 15 years and all 3 Super Bowl rings. . . to strap on one of those championship belts. That’s how much I wanted my short boxing career to work.”
Ernie Terrell, former heavyweight champion: “No one hit me harder than Cleveland Williams. That man was an animal.”
Nate “Galaaxy Warrior” Campbell, on betting odds: “I’m living proof that boxing has nothing to do with the odds. Buster Douglas can tell you the same thing.”
Hector “Macho Man” Camacho on his split personalities: “I’m really two men. I’m Macho Camacho, who’s a professional boxer who works hard and excels at his sport, and I’m Macho Man, who makes waves and can be difficult. I needed them both, though, to become the champion I am.”
Joe Koizumi, (Class of ‘08) noted promoter and writer: “I’m standing here today, being inducted to the Hall of Fame, because Nat Fleischer (of the RING magazine) believed in me.”
Chazz “the Gentleman” Witherspoon, on what boxing is to him: “Boxing is pain management. No other sport puts you through the things boxing puts you through. It’s the greatest sport, and I love it.”
Larry Holmes, on a variety of topics: “They say behind every good man is a good woman. Well, I don’t know if I’m a good man, but I’ve got one good-ass woman.”
“You say you hate ‘em. But you need these promoters. King, Arum, Palle. . . without them, you’d have no fights.”
“No one wanted my boxing career (in those early days), but one man did. That man was Don King.”
“I told everyone that I’d be champ one day, and they all said ‘No, you can’t’. I said ‘Yes, I can’. They said ‘Out there, there’s Ali, Norton, and Frazier. You can’t’. I said ‘Yes, I can.’ And I did.”
“I even beat up that fool ButterBean. . . just because I wanted that 75th fight.”
“I want to clear something up about something I said 15 years ago, about Marciano can’t carry my jock strap. Why would he want to? No man is better than another man. God blesses some of us more. But we all put on our pants the same way. I didn’t say that about Marciano to put him down. You might say he was the best. Fine, but don’t get mad when I say I’m the best. We are all entitled to our opinions.”
“George Foreman doesn’t like people, unless you’re buying his grill. Then he loves you. . . Everyone knows that man is crazy. He talks about ’knocking out the fat’ on that machine of his. I ask you. . . do you want a dry burger? I want my burgers and steaks juicy!”
“Muhammad Ali says he’s the Greatest. That’s his opinion.”
