Quotes from Thomas Hauser

Even when the heavyweight champion was a fighter of limited ability, he was still the heavyweight champion of the world.

Being a good police officer is one of the most difficult, dangerous, idealistic jobs in the world.

The ultimate goal of any athlete in any sport is to become a true world champion.

The heavyweight championship of the world was the most coveted title in sports. Everyone knew who the heavyweight champion was. And not only when it was Muhammad Ali or Rocky Marciano: they knew when it was Ingemar Johansson.

There's a difference between world-class fighters and club fighters. It's similar to the distinction between a Grammy Award nominee and a guy who sings in Holiday Inn cocktail lounges.

As a general rule, the only way people pay $7,500 a table for club fights is when a significant portion of the proceeds is earmarked for charity.

In 1946, the year I was born, Yankee Stadium was only 23 years old. But from my perspective as a boy, it had been around forever. At age seven, I saw it for the first time. As I grew older and was allowed to navigate the city's subway system on my own, I went to Sunday doubleheaders with friends on a regular basis.

For thousands of years, the most physically imposing buildings on earth were temples, churches, and mosques. But in the 20th century, new houses of worship came to dominate the landscape. Yankee Stadium is the most storied of these contemporary shrines.

Yankee Stadium played host to the most important prizefight ever when Joe Louis knocked out Max Schmeling in 1938.

Three of my childhood dreams went unfulfilled. I never saw a no-hitter, never saw a triple play, and never caught a ball that had been hit into the stands. But I did see the Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in a World Series game when I was 10.

Baseball is a game of tradition. It lives, in large measure, on its past.

Boxing has a problem - a big one. Think of it as a monster that's hiding under the bed. Eventually, the monster is going to come out and take a big chunk out of the sport. Fighters, trainers, managers, promoters, even government regulators can legally bet on fights. They can also bet on fights they're involved with.

I've learned over the years that big-name writers might be treated fairly by the media conglomerates that dominate publishing today. But the average author isn't.

I'm sure there is an infinite number of men who Ann Wolfe can knock out. I'm one of them.

There are hundreds of young fighters whose handlers believe them to be a future world champion or the next great heavyweight or another Sugar Ray Robinson. The young men who inspire these beliefs are known as 'prospects.'

Professional fights between men and women send the message that violence between men and women is appropriate. In most homes, that's not a fair fight, which is why I'm against intergender boxing.

The single most important thing that sports fans want is competition building to a meaningful championship.

The bloodsuckers around Tyson are always looking for one more payday, and some people will always be willing to pay to see Iron Mike fight.

Mike Tyson has become larger than life.

Few fighters reach Mike Tyson's level, of course.

When Roy Jones was young, he glowed. There was an aura about him, and words came out of his mouth like bursts of machine-gun fire.

I researched and wrote 'Muhammad Ali: His Life And Times' for two years.

One can construct a strong legal and ethical argument for minimizing the fees that are paid to world sanctioning organizations in conjunction with championship bouts. It's not uncommon for skilled fighters to be denied championship opportunities while less-talented but better-connected boxers fight for belts.

A boxing ring looks different from the inside, particularly when it's shared with another man who is intent upon rendering you unconscious. There's no place to hide. Once a fighter climbs the stairs, he's roped in, unable to leave until his night's work is done.