Quotes of the Year 2014 Pt II: July to December is marked by two domestic feuds

It has been another busy 12 months in the world of boxing, where bitterness, boastfulness and banter reigned supreme long into the second half of the year.

We've looked at the first half of the year but don't think for a minute Messrs Froch and Groves are gone, even if Froch has ruled out a third fight!

Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew took over the mantle, Amir Khan and Kell Brook did brilliantly in the ring and continue to converse out of it, while Tyson Fury and even Floyd Mayweather seemed quiet.

There have been some awful moments and Jamie Moore and Anthony Crolla put all the boxing grudges into perspective. It is, after all, only a sport... and spouting the odd insult!

July

"Carl Froch said that the greatest chin is the one that doesn't get hit – and he's right."
Anthony Joshua was taking the lead from Britain's pound-for-pound No 1 and did so against Matt Skelton. He clinched another second-round knockout although it was not such a surprise.

"No disrespect to Abraham; I've said it time and time again, he's a great champion and he's going to be the hardest fight I've ever had and he's going to be the best opponent I've ever been in the ring with."
Paul Smith knew he would have to produce the best performance of his career. But even he can't have imagined the most controversial call of that career either.

It is great to be back and back to world-class boxing. Last time I was here it didn't go as well as I would've hoped but I think I have proved I belong here.

"When I am done with him he will wish not ever having shared the ring with me. The Captain has a motto for this fight: 'I will make spaghetti out of Larghetti.'"
WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck was not only aiming for a 13th world title defence to equal Johnny Nelson's record but was also clearly out to prove he was not 'pasta' the best.

"I will never forget what he said after our first fight. He said it was easy and that he'd fought me with two broken ribs.
Tony Bellew revealed the real beginning of his bitterness towards Nathan Cleverly. Forget refusing to offer him a rematch, then?

"I'm not interested. They can charge me with whatever they want, it doesn't mean anything to me. What do we suppose they are going to be doing – fining me or suspending me?" 
Tyson Fury was charged and fined by the BBBofC for misconduct at one of the Dereck Chisora press conferences, but a suspension could be the least of the inactive fighter's concerns. Three fights in two years and counting...

"If Eubank wants the fight and he's got a pair, let's fight. If he wants it, let him get in the ring."
Billy Joe Saunders celebrated his European title win by starting the war of words with Chris Eubank Jr. And this was probably as clean as it got!

"The Mayweather fight is within touching distance. It's very close. I don't want a long wait until May, I want to get a fight in in December and look good in that fight."
Amir Khan was still chasing the dream. And was still be chasing the dream when he cropped up in December. And whenever you are reading this, he is probably still chasing the dream.

August

"I believe that Brook will feel the added pressure in this being his first title fight. I handled it great. I welcomed it and loved it going into my first title fight."
Champion Shawn Porter might have handled his first world title fight well but we would soon fight out he could not handle Kell Brook.

"I'm not scared to fight him. He's called 'The Alien' but I'm a 'Krusher' and I'll send him to Mars."
Sergey Kovalev was ready to beam up Bernard Hopkins and prove there is no space for the two of them in the light-heavyweight world.

I was thinking ‘I am going to die’ because I had lost a lot of blood and I was going in and out of consciousness. All I remember was waking up in hospital and thinking ‘Thank God I am alive’.

"I was just as shocked as anyone at the news about my former promoter and my initial thought was that it was a wind-up. The great thing about life, and boxing, is that, day to day, you never know what to expect."
Like most of us, Lennox Lewis initially thought it was a prank. Well it was no longer a Frank, that’s for sure, thanks of course to Kellie Maloney.

"You know the way me and him have been dealing with it all out on social media. I don't think we even need a promoter for this one."
But Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury will need a strong referee first and foremost! And even then a heavyweight title would help.

"It was a tough, tough fight. I needed to dig in at times, but I trained hard for this fight. I’ve come over here, to his back yard, from little old England and I’m the new champion."
Kell Brook did what he had to do – just – and snatched Shawn Porter’s world title away from him in California. And little ol’ England had a big rivalry that suddenly stepped up a level.

"A fight with Kell Brook will be massive in the UK and I am not saying no. Kell thought I would say no to that fight but I am agreeing to it. I will take the fight... with both hands."
Amir Khan was watching on in the Sky Sports studio.

September

"'Why bother? You're no spring chicken!' Well I am not as stupid as some people think and there is no way on earth I would do this against anyone faster, fitter, better than or even as good as me."
Johnny Nelson came straight out and called out Marco Huck, who shares his world title defence record of 13. Lucky for him?

“I'm devastated right now. This is obviously a major setback but the thought of defending my title is what's keeping me positive right now."
The bad news for boxing carried into September with Kell Brook stabbed in Tenerife. And that would not be the end for a tough year outside the ring.

If they can find somewhere in Belfast with 20,000 then I can go there, I don't care.

"I feel a bit emotional. It's been a long time coming. It's been a hard road and there's been ups and downs."
Well the downs were forgotten as Carl Frampton won the IBF super-bantamweight title, beating Kiko Martinez and getting Belfast buzzing about boxing again.

"I hope they do box soon and I wish them both the very best, health and happiness, and may the best man win, but something tells me that fight might not take place. Maybe Bristol Leisure Centre isn’t up for the challenge?"
So George Groves was back to his winning and of course, winding-up ways. Messrs DeGale and Froch are never far from his thoughts.

"Sometimes you're going to get a gentleman with Tyson and sometimes, if he's rubbed up the wrong way, you'll get another side of him. At the end of the day surely he should be allowed to be himself."
Tyson Fury taped his mouth up to avoid any more BBBofC fines, leaving promoter Mick Hennessy to fill the gap. 

“I miss the characters, the banter, the deal-making and I’m contemplating, 'should I return or not'. Boxing was a passion for me and I still think it could be."
Kellie Maloney was honest and open on a Ringside Special.

“The judges outside of the ring have never fought in their lives and they are robbing kids of life-changing opportunities. That’s just shattered my world there."
Paul Smith could not believe the decision that saw him fail to be crowned WBO super-middleweight champion.

October

“It's hard not to get carried away because they get you very fired up, but I use all the energy from the crowd and take it into the ring. They keep me going from the first bell to the last.”
Josh Warrington is a Leeds United fan so hasn’t had much to smile about... until he beat Davide Dieli to become European featherweight champion. A sleeping giant in sporting terms might well be switching sports.

"I heard it before, now I'm hearing it again.”
Thankfully Jermain Taylor was not hearing about any more legal issues but instead heard himself being crowned a middleweight world champion for the first time since 2005. Bad Intentions was back!

In the world of boxing and particularly in this country, a fight between David Haye and Anthony Joshua in 2015 is a stadium event.

"Kell is 28, he's had 33 fights and once you can train for a 12-round fight, have been to America and won a world title, what do you need a warm-up fight for? He's had a couple of years of warm-up fights, so it doesn't really matter.”
Dominic Ingle’s gameplan saw Kell Brook become a world champion, so when he looked ahead, we listened. And Amir Khan surely liked what he heard, too.

"I've got to go back to the drawing board."
Nonito Donaire was a four-weight world champion but was beaten badly by Nicholas Walters, so where does he go next? Up? Down? Or out of the game?

"If the Chavez fight doesn't happen, there's a strong chance of me retiring a happy man."
Carl Froch made it quite clear he did not want to fight James DeGale and definitely didn’t want a third with you-know-who. The Vegas dream was still going strong. Ish...

"Luke is a mate of mind and it will be a bit weird but we can put our friendship aside for 36 minutes and go at it like two warriors. We're lads from Hull at the end of the day and the fans want it. They pay our wages, let's give them it."
Tommy Coyle and Luke Campbell are friends. They are both from the same city. They are both lightweights and they both won and won well in October. Oh, they also agreed there and then to have a scrap next summer. 

"I'm crossing my fingers – hopefully that fight will happen by next year.”
Quite simply, who said this? It could be any fighter in the world. But of course, it was Manny Pacquiao on Floyd Mayweather… again.  

November

"I could have taken an easier fight in fighting Kell Brook in the UK, but that's the type of fighter I am. I want the exciting fights, I want the tough fights and, while I'm at this age and at my peak, I want to be facing the top guys."
Amir Khan was trying not to look past Devon Alexander and at least managed not to look eastwards to 
little ol' England.

"At times he has, but he hasn't been as good as people thought he'd be. That said, I know this going to be a tough, tough test so I am not looking beyond December 13th."
Andy Lee had another reason to look past his Matt Korobov fight, the small matter of the winner facing Billy Joe Saunders or Chris Eubank Jr.

I am a Manchester lad so to be fighting in Manchester for a world title, I couldn’t ask for anything more and the only way it could get better than that is to go out there and win it.

"If this is the last time I'm going into the ring, I will not cheat myself. It will not be a freak show. I will never short-change myself and my dignity."
Bernard Hopkins was not speaking ahead of his showdown with Sergey Kovalev, instead reflecting on where to go after being out-boxed. The Alien continues...

“He’s got a big chance now and he’s going to fail again. You watch this guy crumble when it really counts in that ring. He’ll crumble again.”
Nathan Cleverly had no doubt he would beat Tony Bellew again and the closer it got, the more confident he became.

"I’m over the moon – listen it’s over, it’s put to bed. I won’t go back on my word – there’s not going to be a big embrace and a hug – but let’s just say there is respect here and it’s over, it’s done with."
Tony Bellew remained a man of his word – and a man of many words – after he gained revenge over Nathan Cleverly over 12 rounds.   

"All grudge matches are big fights. Whoever loses, they have to shut up. After all the talking up, he's lost so he has to shut his mouth, get to the back of the queue now."
Winner Billy Joe Saunders was not only better than Chris Eubank Jr on the night he was also wise beyond his years. Let's hope a certain Eubank Sr read this. 

"Wladimir Klitschko, I'm coming for you baby. No retreat, no surrender." 
Tyson Fury overcame Dereck Chisora again, forgot about social friend Deontay Wilder but went straight for the top. And standing at 6ft 9in, why not?

December

"I wanted to ask Kevin what round he wanted to be knocked out in. It's not important to go the rounds – I'm making it up after the fight and in sparring before the fight. From Johnson, I expect a good sparring partner."
Anthony Joshua was full of festive spirit yet it hardly looked like a happy New Year for Kevin Johnson.

"My confidence has improved knowing that I can go in there at world level and hold my own. I’ve said time and time again, a fighter will always believe he can do it, but going in there and knowing you can do it is a different matter."
Well Paul Smith had asked time and time again for another shot at world champion Arthur Abraham and he got one. Will it be a happy New Year? Find out in February.

Dreams come true, I'm on cloud nine... cloud 10 even - you know what I mean. This is brilliant, this is unbelievable. My whole Christmas, this isn't going to sink in.

"My aim is to out-box him for the first half and put the pressure on him in the second half of the fight and dominate him both physically and mentally. I am going to win, I've no doubt in my mind. I can see me stopping him in the middle to late rounds."
It was arguable the best pre-fight prediction of 2014 by Andy Lee. Oh and the WBO middleweight champion also said he would have to defend against Billy Joe Saunders next!

"Let's make it happen on May 2. Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao. Let's do it. I am not ducking or dodging any opponent."
Floyd Mayweather had kept relatively quiet for a couple of weeks but tradition always takes over at Christmas, so a card is in the post for Manny Pacquiao.

"I really believe that Floyd will have big problems with my speed, movement and accuracy. Floyd is one of the best fighters in the world, don’t get me wrong, but I want my chance."
Amir Khan took care of Devon Alexander and stole the show in Vegas but before any dust had settled, he was already playing catch-up on Money.

"I've had to go the hard way to force a world title chance and become a mandatory, but he has had two fights at welterweight and is trying to jump the queue."
Kelll Brook proved that Britain not only produces world-class welterweights but we are also happy to stand in line and wait our turn. At first...

"Some things are more important than boxing and I never really thought that until the past week."
Anthony Crolla has lost his world title shot but is lucky to still be alive after trying to apprehend burglars. Another horrific incident but the nicest guy in the nastiest sport put it all into perspective... and he will be back in 2015.

* All quotes have been printed on skysports.com from July 1 to December 31, 2014.