Sugar Ray Leonard's Quotes

Born: 1956-05-17
Profession: Athlete
Nation: American
Biography of Sugar Ray Leonard
I'm not religious, but I believe that what I have is a gift, and I respect it and live up to it.
Tags: Gift, Religious, RespectI've never believed in tying myself up in a long-range contract, and I've been very outspoken on that subject.
Tags: Contract, Outspoken, SubjectIf I hadn't had the talent, the networks wouldn't have televised my fights. No one has made me; I made myself. I paid my dues.
Tags: Fights, Paid, TalentIn Italy, I had an Afro, and a lot of the kids came up and felt my hair. It really was funny. I wish I had understood Italian.
Tags: Funny, Kids, WishIt's different when you become a professional, because you also have to become a businessman, and that takes something away from it.
Tags: Away, Become, TakesNo one but myself thought I could beat guys like Tommy Hearns or Roberto Duran.
Tags: Beat, Guys, ThoughtWe're all given some sort of skill in life. Mine just happens to be beating up on people.
Tags: Happens, Life, MineWhen I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was able to fill up an area that was empty.
Tags: Able, Empty, FillWhen I'm not in training. I'll walk around the streets at 153, but it's not solid; it's my socializing weight.
Tags: Training, Walk, WeightWhen we got back to the U.S., I wanted to kiss the ground after seeing what people in other countries are denied or don't have.
Tags: After, Kiss, WantedBoxing is the ultimate challenge. There's nothing that can compare to testing yourself the way you do every time you step in the ring.
Tags: Challenge, Time, YourselfI'm a competitor and a very proud man. If a guy beats me once, he'll have to do it again to make me believe him.
Tags: Again, Him, ProudThey say that I'm stubborn, and my wife says that, too, but it's paid off so far.
Tags: Far, Off, WifeBoxing brings out my aggressive instinct, not necessarily a killer instinct.
Tags: Aggressive, Boxing, InstinctBoxing was not something I truly enjoyed. Like a lot of things in life, when you put the gloves on, it's better to give than to receive.
Tags: Give, Life, PutBoxing was the only career where I wouldn't have to start out at the bottom. I had a good resume.
Tags: Career, Good, StartTo be the best, you need to spend hours and hours and hours running, hitting the speed bag, lifting weights and focusing on training.
Tags: Best, Spend, TrainingAaron Pryor wants to get into the ring with me. He wants to be able to retire, and he will. For health reasons.
Tags: Able, Health, WantsAli's belief in himself was something I picked up on, and it's become my own philosophy.
Tags: Become, Himself, PhilosophyAlthough it was a great accomplishment to win a gold medal, as soon as they put it on you, that's it; your career is over.
Tags: Career, Great, WinBefore the start of the '76 Olympics, I'd had 160 amateur fights. I won 155 and lost five.
Tags: Lost, Start, WonDuran always disturbs me. The guy is just weird. Before our first fight, both Duran and his wife gave my wife the finger.
Tags: Both, Fight, WifeHolyfield is nothing but class, and I think he's a breath of fresh air for the sport.
Tags: Air, Class, FreshI think an athlete should be honest. I know it's difficult, but if a guy knocked me on my can, I couldn't very well say, I slipped.
Tags: Difficult, Guy, HonestI think I've become one of the best finishers in boxing; if I hurt a guy, I normally take him out.
Tags: Best, Him, HurtI want my fights to be seen as plays that have a beginning, a middle and an end.
Tags: Beginning, End, SeenI was painfully initiated into boxing, because the guys I fought were a lot bigger than me.
Tags: Bigger, Boxing, Guys