Status: Heavyweight contender.

Ht: 6-1 1/2 Wt: 260

Born On: July 13, 1973 In: London, England

Childhood Heroes: “Willie Pep, Rocky Marciano, Jersey Joe Walcott, Muhammad Ali.”

Nickname: “Fat Dan.”

Hobbies/Interests: “I like to travel to different countries, I like to eat, try different foods.”

Favorite Movies: “Any James Cagney gangster film. Also, I like Al Pacino Scarface.”

Musical Tastes: “I don’t listen to music. In Islam - I’m Muslim - we don’t listen to music.”

Favorite TV Shows: “I like reality shows. And Simpsons - very funny.”

Early Boxing Memory: “Really my first fight. I was boxing a guy with seven fights and no losses. And I was able to beat him in my first fight (age 14).”

First Job: “Was doing security at parties, working the door (age 17).”

First Car: “Was a black Fiat.”

Pre-Fight Feeling: “(Think about) boxing to my best ability. Not getting hit, moving my head, because I believe if I box to the best of my ability, no one can beat me. That’s what I keep going over in my head. (Do you look at him after entering the ring?) No, I’m not really into that. I just like to keep focused on what I’ve got to do.”

Favorite Meal: “Rice and chicken.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Strawberry.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “[Smiles] beating Mike Tyson. When I knocked him down. That was an unbelievable feeling. Electric just run through my body. It was amazing. Couldn’t believe it when he went down, just amazing.”

Most Painful Moment: “Was winning the British title - I boxed with a dislocated shoulder (TKO 6 Mark Potter in 2000). And straight after the fight, the pain was absolutely awesome. I never had so much pain in my life. It was unbelievable, the pain was unbelievable.”

Favorite Boxers To Watch: “Roy Jones - I think he’s an unbelievable boxer. So much skills, unbelievable skills. I love Evander Holyfield at his best - because he’s a true warrior. Really a hard warrior. And Meldrick Taylor. Julio Cesar Chavez.”

Funny Boxing Memory: “In Britain, about four years ago in Bethnal Green. This journeyman knocked out a guy he wasn’t supposed to knock out. And he tried to do a, celebrating, he tried to do a flip. And he hit his head. And he nearly knocked himself out. Everyone in the arena cracked up. He was gone, gone. He got up, but he was really groggy. So that was pretty funny.”

Hardest Puncher: “Tyson, by far. He was really sinking them in. Really, really a powerful guy. It’s amazing a guy of that size, that stature, could throw such powerful punches.”

Favorite Vacation Spot: “Turkey. I went to Turkey and I really enjoyed it.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “To be humble. Be polite. Just be basically good.”

Childhood Dream: “Always heavyweight champion. Because that was always instilled into me from a young age. My dad (Augustus) kept telling me I was going to be world champion. Because he forced me into the sport. FORCED me into the sport when I was young (age 8). He had a dream that I was going to be world champion. So he put me into the sport. So his dream became my dream.”