Quotes by Sugar Ray Leonard

About Sugar Ray Leonard:

Sugar Ray Leonard is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor. He was the first boxer to earn more than $100 million in purses, won world titles in five weight divisions, and defeated future fellow International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees Wilfred Benítez, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Durán, and Marvin Hagler. He was named "Boxer of the Decade" in the 1980s.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Without boxing, because of my neighborhoods, who knows what would have happened to me. It was always about following the leader. And I definitely was not a leader. Boxing gave me discipline; a sense of self. It made me more outspoken. It gave me more...

Sugar Ray Leonard

I watched Ali, studied Ali, and I studied Sugar Ray Robinson. I watched them display showmanship. I watched them use pizzazz, personality, and charisma. I took things from them and borrowed things from them because boxing is entertainment.

Sugar Ray Leonard

People try to live vicariously through fighters, but it's one-on-one; it's primal. There's no other feeling like it. The problem for me was accepting it - that nothing compares to being champ.

Sugar Ray Leonard

I learned to run backwards from Muhammad Ali. He told me about running backwards because you try to imitate everything you do in the ring, so sometimes you back up. So you have to train your legs to go backwards.

Sugar Ray Leonard

You just don't heal that easy unless you're young.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Generally, the more weight you put on, the less effective you are.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Before the start of the '76 Olympics, I'd had 160 amateur fights. I won 155 and lost five.

Sugar Ray Leonard

When 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.

Sugar Ray Leonard

I want my fights to be seen as plays that have a beginning, a middle and an end.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Before I fight, I always pray that no one gets hurt.

Sugar Ray Leonard

I remember all the important fights. Vividly. In detail.

Sugar Ray Leonard

When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was able to fill up an area that was empty.

Sugar Ray Leonard

I'm a free agent. I haven't allowed any promoters to have exclusive options on my fight. I don't need a promoter.

Sugar Ray Leonard

When I'm not in training. I'll walk around the streets at 153, but it's not solid; it's my socializing weight.

Sugar Ray Leonard

I was painfully initiated into boxing, because the guys I fought were a lot bigger than me.

Sugar Ray Leonard

I wanted to be like Bruce Jenner.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Duran always disturbs me. The guy is just weird. Before our first fight, both Duran and his wife gave my wife the finger.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Ali's belief in himself was something I picked up on, and it's become my own philosophy.

Sugar Ray Leonard

I 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.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Except for Ali, fighters had never been marketable.

Sugar Ray Leonard

If 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.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Author Bio

  • NameSugar Ray Leonard
  • DescriptionAmerican boxer
  • BornMay 17, 1956
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionBoxer