The only way for a fighter to get back in shape is to fight his way back. Sugar Ray Leonard More Quotes by Sugar Ray Leonard More Quotes From Sugar Ray Leonard You just don't heal that easy unless you're young. Sugar Ray Leonard healyoungeasy It was a whole different world, and Montreal was an absolutely beautiful setting unlike anywhere I'd ever been before. So, Montreal in '76 was an encompassing experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. Sugar Ray Leonard differentbeautifulworld I want my fights to be seen as plays that have a beginning, a middle and an end Sugar Ray Leonard fightingwantplay Before the start of the '76 Olympics, I'd had 160 amateur fights. I won 155 and lost five Sugar Ray Leonard perseverancesuccesssports I'm not in favor of that [mandating protective headgear ] because we learn as amateurs how to protect ourselves. And that's why there's a third man in the ring, the referee. And that's why there has to be a very strong boxing commission that doesn't allow guys in the ring who don't belong there. Sugar Ray Leonard boxingstrongmen Look at football, where you still have injuries no matter how much they improve the helmets and other equipment. Sugar Ray Leonard matterfootballlooks I learned that I had character defects, that I was allergic to alcohol and drugs, and that I had an obsession with all the bad stuff. But thank God that I woke and that I had good people around me to support me. There's not much more I can say about it. You have to want to be a better person. Sugar Ray Leonard supportcharacterpeople To be honest, I don't know. I started one [book] back in 1982 or '83 when I first retired. But I was only 25 or 26 and not ready to write my memoirs. Sugar Ray Leonard writingbookfirsts My very best memory of Montreal was the moment inside the Olympic arena when I was waiting under the stadium and those majestic gates opened up. It was a whole other world. Sugar Ray Leonard other-worldswaitingmemories It's hard to talk about yourself. Sugar Ray Leonard about-yourselfhard I retired and came back in '97. Woo! I mean, come on! I don't know, man. A six-year layoff? That was crazy! My career was relatively short, whether you look at either its length in years or the number of fights I had. But it was brutal. Sugar Ray Leonard crazyfightingmean Although 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. Sugar Ray Leonard careerswinningsports Holyfield is nothing but class, and I think he's a breath of fresh air for the sport. Sugar Ray Leonard airsportsthinking It's different when you become a professional, because you also have to become a businessman, and that takes something away from it. Sugar Ray Leonard boxingdifferentsports Were all given some sort of skill in life. Mine just happens to be beating up on people. Sugar Ray Leonard skillssportspeople A fighter never knows when it's the last bell. He doesn't want to face that. Sugar Ray Leonard bellsfaceswant Boxing's a poor man's sport. We can't afford to play golf or tennis. It is what it is. It's kept so many kids off the street. It kept me off the street. Sugar Ray Leonard golfsportskids 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. Sugar Ray Leonard italiansportskids Except for Ali, fighters had never been marketable. Sugar Ray Leonard fightersports No one but myself thought I could beat guys like Tommy Hearns or Roberto Duran Sugar Ray Leonard beatsguy
