When people are self-entitled for no reason, just with anything, that bothers me. It's like waiting for someone to cross the road, and they walk slower because they know you're waiting. I like all the credit due in the places that it's supposed to be due.
When I don't have a fight scheduled, training is even more fun. I can come into the gym and work on stuff that isn't generated for a specific game plan. I can just play around with it and have a good time. I never want to get to the point where I'm sick of it.
There's a lot of criticism in this job and what we do. It's in front of everybody and for everybody to have their own opinion about what we do. Don't be in this position if you can't handle that criticism.
Some people feel stronger in their 30s. I'm 34. I've noticed I do feel stronger now than when I was 24. But I'm also more sore in the mornings. If I have a bump or a bruise from practice, it takes me a little bit more than just an ice bath to get rid of it. At the end of the week, my body's ready for a day off.
I'm glad people think that I can do well. I always say I would rather that be the scenario than on the other end of it saying, 'We thought she'd be real crappy.' I'll take the side that I'm on. I'll take that people think that I'm going to do well; they have faith in me and believe in me, and that makes me feel stronger.
I'm always open to suggestions. I'm open to opportunities. Whether I take them or not, I don't know. And I would only take them if I weren't training, if I didn't have a fight scheduled. I really want to keep my focus on fighting. That's where all these doors are opening up from anyways. I don't want to lose sight of that. I love fighting.
I'd see people being really successful, whether it was my teammates or big-name fighters like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, and I'd think, 'I want to be a legend like that.'
I think sometimes in life we rush and only later look back and say, 'Wow, that was something pretty cool that I did,' and we realize we should have been more aware while it was happening.
I have a different kind of experience than other girls had. I've had to face a lot of different styles and adjust to them. I had to face a lot of bad situations and come back. I've had to fight with my eyes swollen shut and my nose broken and bloody.
A rematch is one of those things that will always be there when you remove a champion, and it's something you definitely need to give them - that chance for a rematch. That's the only way to do it.
Aim high and don't sell yourself short. Know that you're capable. Understand that a lot of people battle with a lot of things - depression, body image or whatever else - so know that it's not just you. You're not alone.
