Boxing 2015: Who said what from January to June

It was an amazing year when it came to verbal warfare, boxing banter and British fighters talking the talk yet crucially, walking the walk.

We had the small matter of the Fight of the Century, an incredible year for British boxing and the usual dose of heavyweight waffle; settle down for some of the stand-out quotes from the first six months of 2015...

January

"Mr Ali returned home on Tuesday night. He is looking forward to celebrating his 73rd birthday on January 17 with family and friends."
A Muhammad Ali family spokesman simply couldn't get the year off to a better start, telling us The Greatest was back home after being hospitalised by a urinary tract infection over the festive period.

"There is only so much sitting around on the couch eating selection boxes you can do before you want to get back in the gym."
Anthony Crolla spoke for us all but had to deal with a fractured skull and a broken ankle. His initial aim was to return to the ring, but his year was to have a fairytale ending.

"I'm no cab driver, I'm no one-hit wonder, this is the real deal. This belt here isn't going anywhere. This green belt is staying right here in this green hotel."
WBC heavyweight title holder Bermane Stiverne was in confident mood the day before his defence against Deontay Wilder. But of course, was beaten. Taxi for Stiverne!

"There's nothing like the big guys going at it. It's like a freak show, so I can't wait on that one. I can't wait for it."
Deontay Wilder immediately turned his attention to social media chum, Tyson Fury...

"He gave his number to me and said we will communicate with each other.
Manny Pacquiao not only bumped into Floyd Mayweather at a basketball match, but got those all-important digits.

February

"I'd have loved to have boxed Carl Froch. It would have been a great fight for Britain and to beat a great champion like Carl - I'd have loved that. But Dirrell will have to do."
Carl Froch had vacated the IBF super-middleweight belt leaving 2008 Olympic champion James DeGale with the chance to make British boxing history and land a few cheeky shots on the man he would replace.

"I think Bryant is Rocky Balboa. He's from Philadelphia. He's someone who started late in boxing."
We're not sure if Jennings thumped raw meat or chopped wood, knee high in snow as part of his preparation, but heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko was in showbiz mood once his return to America, in April, was announced.

Giving the fans what they want to see is always my main focus. This will be the biggest event in the history of the sport. Boxing fans and sports fans around the world will witness greatness on May 2.

"This time everything is going the way I want it to, how it should be going. Last time I would panic in the preparation; I'd wake up in the middle of the night thinking I'd overslept."
Unfortunately Paul Smith's dream turned into another nightmare as he lost his rematch to Arthur Abraham in Berlin.

"I hold my hands up, I was hurt, but so was he. I don't think it should have been stopped. He caught me and I felt a buzz but Demetrius. Andrade hit me 50 times like that."
Blackpool didn't rock for local lad Brian Rose, who was halted in 147 seconds by Carson Jones and referee Ian John-Lewis. The Lion would roar again though...

"I've accepted that he punches hard, obviously with his record, and I've accepted that I'm going to go through a little bit of pain.. well I say a little, but maybe a lot!"
Martin Murray admitted that losing to Gennady Golovkin in Monte Carlo was what people were expecting, but other than him and trainer Oliver Harrison, who imagined he could take him 11 rounds?

March

"My son and my daughter, they really wanted this fight to happen."
The oldest two of Manny Pacquiao's five children had the same thoughts as the rest of us when it came to fighting Floyd Mayweather. At least time was on their sides...

"Looks like Frochy Froch remembered my name all of a sudden. That's good to know. Looks like the old man is still kicking."
Andre Ward made it clear that he would still be the boss if The Cobra followed the WBA mandate and fought him again.

"Anthony Joshua has graduated to the College of Boxing; I am on the PhD of Boxing right now, so right now it's no contest."
Tony Thompson sent Anthony Joshua a bit of homework and was more than happy to teach him a heavyweight lesson.

I am no longer a professional boxer, and that is good with me. After locking myself away for the last five weeks, I've tried to focus and turn back the clock to get myself into fighting condition.

"Now I know I'm more than just a boxer and an entertainer, I'm a role model for the kids that are going to be watching."
The Problem, otherwise known as Adrien Broner, decided to set an example for those looking up to him. Watching him is one thing, but listening to him too?

"If Sylvester Stallone had got me in a headlock, I'd probably still be in it!"
Tony Bellew had hit Hollywood but denied hitting a fellow Creed actor, forcing the director to step in. Bomber laughed it off, but had acted not boxed, since starring in the Nathan Cleverly rematch.

April

"There are 1.5 million reasons for this fight to happen."
Scott Quigg knows money talks in the boxing world, so he and Eddie Hearn put an offer on Carl Frampton's table.

"I'm world champion, I'm calling him out, we want the fight, there's a word title and a bagful of money and it doesn't make sense that he's fighting this guy who's bringing nothing to the table."
Kell Brook took his latest swipe at Amir Khan, who had turned to Chris Algieri having missed out on Mayweather and Pacquiao. 

There are two sides to a fight, the first six and the second six. One way or another they will get broken down whether it is in the first half or second half.

"That's why I'm never off balance and I've never been down. I'll give Peterson credit for putting the gloves on."
Danny Garcia deserves credit for getting his boots on after we found out he has six toes, ahead of his catchweight clash with Lamont Peterson.

"I go to the gym, I train. I know what I have to do. There was a time when it was fun but I am getting to a point now where I am really over all of that stuff. My last fight is in September."
We had to wait five years for Floyd Mayweather to fight Manny Pacquiao but he was already looking beyond that and we wouldn't even have to wait five months to bid him farewell.

"They gave you that belt. I'll knock you out. I'll knock you out cold. Let's go champ."
Shannon Briggs kicked off with WBC holder Deontay Wilder at the weigh-in for Wladimir Klitschko and Bryant Jennings, with Lennox Lewis in the challenger's corner. The more heavyweights the merrier.

May

"Three weeks before my fight I had to skip my training for a couple of days for that reason. We went for an MRI - there is a tear in my right shoulder."
Manny Pacquiao may have complained about the scoring after losing to Floyd Mayweather, but also added injury to injustice at the post-fight press conference.

"Ricky Hatton is a big hero of mine and I was at his fight against Kostya Tszyu, and that was one amazing night. If I put in a top performance and win the title on the 10th anniversary of that fight it will be an incredible feeling."
Terry Flanagan was not only to follow in the Hitman's footsteps but also became the first Englishman to lift a world lightweight title. 

"Your hard work, great spirit and determination has you in good stead and you must never underestimate or lose sight of your achievements. You have a great opportunity to make history and everyone at the club is very proud of you." 
Arsene Wenger was a week away from lifting a long-awaited trophy but still had time to wish Arsenal fan James DeGale luck as he was about to take on Andre Dirrell for the world super-middleweight title.

He's a smart guy. He does a lot of moving. My style is a little bit different, I like drama, I like a real fight, I like close fights. I want a big show with big drama!

"He is a media hype job and let me tell you this, once this dude is out the way I'm going to show you that the future of the heavyweight division is right here."
He didn't believe the hype but the latest public enemy, Kevin Johnson, was soon shut up by Anthony Joshua inside two rounds.

"As soon as I can bring my training and sparring into the ring on fight night, you will see a great champion. The better the opponent, the better Lee Selby you will see."
Our latest world champion, Lee Selby, was already looking onwards and upwards following his IBF featherweight title win over Evgeny Gradovich.

June

"I'm touching distance away from that mega-fight and everyone wants to see it. Everywhere in America I was going, people were just talking about the Mayweather fight."
Which Mayweather fight? Amir Khan thought it was that final hurrah in September, featuring him, too. It didn't.

"I don't know, he must have been drunk or something, he called me a drug cheat and said he couldn't take me serious and I only won because I had a kickboxing fight before. I said 'I didn't kick you, we had a fight and I punched you in the face and you fell to the floor'. I retaliated and called him a few names and that was what sparked it."
Anthony Joshua had been all KOs and smiles throughout the last six months and no one was calling him out. Enter Dillian Whyte...

If you're blessed enough and lucky enough and have a fortunate career, you can take that step back. I'm just happy that I did it. There are no regrets but I miss it a lot.

"I haven't got a relationship with him. It's irrelevant. I retired six years ago. It would have been a great fight, a big money fight, and I would have demolished him."
The world was wondering if Carl Froch was going to fight again and his most recent scrap was a social row with former super-middleweight supremo, Joe Calzaghe, who was sure of the outcome had they fought.

"Not many people like the way he fights, and the way to compare him, to the British people and all the British sports fans watching, is that he is like Mourinho. He wins by whatever means necessary."
Liverpool fan Paul Smith had drawn a plum tie in his next round, away against Andre Ward. Sadly, Smigga couldn't park the bus and stop him winning in nine.

"After I whoop you Shawn, come sign with About Billions and I'll buy you a nicer car than your dad's. I already wrote out the contract."
Adrian Broner had been too quiet for too long in the run-up to his showdown with Shawn Porter so with Father's Day on the Sunday, how thoughtful of The Problem.