Sugar Ray Leonard Quotes

We’re all endowed with certain God-given talents. Mine happens to be punching people in the head.

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

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.

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

We’re all given some sort of skill in life. Mine just happens to be beating up on people.

To be the best, you need to spend hours and hours and hours running, hitting the speed bag, lifting weights and focusing on training.

No one but myself thought I could beat guys like Tommy Hearns or Roberto Duran.

It’s hard to talk about yourself.

It’s different when you become a professional, because you also have to become a businessman, and that takes something away from it.

In 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.

I’ve never believed in tying myself up in a long-range contract, and I’ve been very outspoken on that subject.

I’m not religious, but I believe that what I have is a gift, and I respect it and live up to it.

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

I’ll think, If this is his first punch, how are the others gonna feel? That’s the only fear I have for myself.

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

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

I think I’ve become one of the best finishers in boxing; if I hurt a guy, I normally take him out.

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.

Holyfield is nothing but class, and I think he’s a breath of fresh air for the sport.

Except for Ali, fighters had never been marketable.