Never eat less than four hours before boxing. Then eat only lightly.

As a West Side kid fooling around with boxing gloves, I had been, for some reason of temperament, more interested in dodging a blow than in striking one.

Handball, swimming, running, jumping, basketball, and boxing were as much a part of me as breathing.

My own ambition in the ring had always been skillful boxing, speed and defense - on the order of Mike Gibbons.

Upon awakening in the morning, I wondered if the proceedings of the night before had been a dream. It was hard to believe that I was the world's heavyweight champion.

A boxer's diet should be low in fat and high in proteins and sugar. Therefore you should eat plenty of lean meat, milk, leafy vegetables, and fresh fruit and ice cream for sugar.