Daniel Jacobs

“I'm able to do motivational speaking all over the world and do so many positive things with my life because of my journey and the battles I've fought. Without cancer, I would have never had some of these opportunities, and I wouldn't be the man I am today.”

“You have all these different reality shows, all social media, all these different things where people have to act a certain way to get attention.”

“I've had the dream of being a world champion since I put on my first pair of gloves.”

“I'm very confident in myself and in my ability, but in boxing there's always the unknown.”

“In 2007, I dreamed of Olympic gold but got outpointed in the Olympic trials.”

“I'm a ride or die Biggie fan. I've come out to 'Victory' so many times.”

“I'm a very spiritual guy. I'm a firm believer of positive energy.”

“I would be a dumb guy to say I don't like MMA because it's not boxing. You just have to appreciate everything.”

“On October 20, 2012 - 17 months and two days after I was diagnosed with that rare form of bone cancer - I stepped back into the ring at the Barclays Center to fight Josh Luteran. He didn't make it out of the first round. Just 1:13 in, it was over. Knockout. I was back.”

“One thing that I learned post-cancer is to enjoy every moment of every day. To find things to be grateful for.”

“To not only be a cancer survivor, but to return to the sport of boxing, because, I mean, this is not basketball, this is not baseball, this is not a sport you play. This is a sport where you can die in the ring. So it says a lot to me to come back and be a world champion in that aspect.”

“I'm super proud of myself, not because I can throw punches inside a ring but just because of my journey and who I proved that I am.”

“Being bullied is the reason I got into boxing. When I was 14, I was being bullied by a kid in junior high school. I wanted to do this the right way. So we went to a boxing gym. We boxed, I beat him up in the ring. He never bullied me again and I found my passion in the sport of boxing.”

“They say the only thing that your parents don't teach you is how to live without them, but my grandma's religious beliefs allowed me to accept death even though it was so hard to live without her.”

“Andre Ward is a guy I look up to, a guy I have the highest respect for in and out of the ring, so anytime he can give me some kind of advice, I'm like a sponge.”

“I think it's a true blessing and great opportunity for me to represent, not only New York boxing, but coming from Brownsville where boxing has been the essence of the neighborhood.”

“This is boxing - you can't really say what is going to happen because anything can happen in that square ring.”

“My outlook on life is totally different because my life was almost taken.”

“I don't work out at all on Sunday. It's amazing. I look forward to every Sunday.”

“I wouldn't say that I'm the most avoided man in boxing, but a few guys might avoid me in the middleweight division.”