对于Perelman来说,其证明的正确本身就是最大的奖,任何其它的奖都是多余的。如果说他求的是“名”,那也是做为一个数学家其成就被认可的“名”。其它的东西都是“粪土”。
The Fields Medal held no interest for him, Perelman explained. “It was completely irrelevant for me,” he said. “Everybody understood that if the proof is correct then no other recognition is needed.”