“For me, hard work and determination got me in the Hall of Fame.” — Riddick Bowe

My toughest opponent is me. My mind has a tendency to wander during bouts. I tend to focus on things other than the bout. I have to work at staying motivated, getting my head right.

So many people were ready to write me off as being washed up at 20, I started to believe all that negative stuff myself.

A program like the Fresh Air Fund gives people a chance to break away for a while. I've been fortunate to be able to raise my family that way.

Being a little kid, you don't hear much about racism. You figure everybody's the same. If racism isn't taught, you're just a black kid and a white kid together.