Mikey Garcia

“I've been able to not only be a fighter, but a thinking fighter, where I can use my insight into the business and politics of the sport to make my decisions.”

“I never dreamt to be headlining a pay-per-view card. That was never a goal.”

“I have a blue 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT, the first car I ever bought. I didn't want it to just be a regular Challenger. I wanted it to be different. So I sent it out to Richard Petty's garage in North Carolina, completely tricked it out - a one-of-a-kind built for me and we changed the name of it from 'Challenger' to 'Champion.'”

“I traditionally like to be patient, calm and look for openings - try to box for a few rounds until I figure out what the best thing in the ring will be for me.”

“I've always wanted to do things different, always wanted to be the person who stands out from the pack.”

“I've always said I have very good timing. It is underestimated when you are outside the ring but once you get inside the ring with me, I'm a step ahead.”

“I'm here to take control of my career and take it to where I believe it should be.”

“I feel that's what a real champion needs to be doing, dare to take on the best fights possible.”

“I want to give my fans great fights to remember me by.”

“I'm available to fight anybody.”

“If I did a multiple-fight deal, I could probably get more money but it's not always about the money.”

“The one time I get butterflies at my fights is during the ring walk, and to get to do that with my home crowd is special, emotional.”

“I'm small for 140.”

“I want to add to my legacy because, in the end, that's going to be the most valuable for my career.”

“I could easily be defending my title against top contenders in the Top 10, but if they haven't been champions or their record's not perfect, it doesn't really excite me. It doesn't motivate me. But that's why I'm facing guys like Dejan Zlaticanin, Sergey Lipinets, undefeated champions.”

“I make the fight look easy and people haven't seen the best.”

“Errol Spence is a fighter. He wants to hurt you.”

“It's not OK for somebody to push a fighter into a corner and strong-arm him to accept whatever the promoter wants.”

“It came like a natural thing for me, and I liked it. That's how my amateur career started. But again, no interest in a future in boxing. I just thought it was like a little pastime, something to do.”

“I'm not an 'opponent.' I don't believe I should be treated as an opponent.”