Quotes from Gerry Cooney

I have a Roman nose. It roams all over my face.

Looking back, I couldn't get enough fights because Don King owned most of the top 10 fighters, and he never gave me a fight.

For every athlete, the roar of the crowd goes away, and we have to learn how to turn the page.

About 99 percent of fighters end up broke. F.I.S.T. helps them turn the page and find new goals.

I'm easygoing. There's a place and time for everything. When that bell rings, I'm not nice and easy. I'm not meek and passive.

The road hasn't always been paved for me. People identify with that. Everybody passes through hard times, and I think that's part of my appeal - that I have, too.

It takes a strong person to admit he's got problems. Things are bugging you, you've got to get it out. Life is supposed to be peaches and cream, but it doesn't turn out that way. I sometimes found things confusing and sometimes didn't understand how things can be so difficult.

It's tough waking up in the morning and reading derogatory stories about you.

I feel very blessed.

Too many guys don't know what to do with their lives after boxing. I was lucky because I had two managers who didn't trust each other, and so they were always making sure where all the money was, and because of that, so did I.

Maybe I'll go to acting school. Acting is like boxing, you know.

Boxing was a way to express my anger. All of a sudden, I was expressing anger, and I was good at it. I was like a Jekyll and Hyde. Boxing helped me because I was fighting the anger out. I was knocking guys out.

Every Saturday and Sunday, when the other guys were out having a good time at the mall, I was at home working in the garden.

When that bell rang, I wanted to go out there and do my thing.

Joe DeGuardia, I love that guy. He's not a superstar promoter yet, but he will be. He was a fighter himself; he's staying the course with these guys. He's developing some good fighters out there. I really applaud him whenever I get a chance to.

The fight with Holmes was a plus. I gained so much experience.

I'm one crazy, crazy guy.

If my son wants a boxing career, I won't stop him, but I definitely won't push him. It's bad for a kid to be pressured.

I lost three times in my career. Losing to Holmes I could deal with, because I lost to a true champion.

I don't fear Holmes, but I think he's a good fighter. He has a lot of pride. But I wouldn't be fighting him if I feared him. It's going to be a tough fight. People say with all the hoopla out there, I won't be able to handle it. I believe the pressure's on him. I'm just going to do my thing.

I've spent most of my life in prison. I was a prisoner of my fear and my low self-esteem.

I feel like a pro now. Before I fought Holmes, I felt like a rookie.

Everybody handles pressure differently.

Drug abuse is a very difficult disease.