Sugar Ray Leonard

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

“I never met a person as determined as my mother. From working hard for six kids to just trying to keep the household down or maintain my father's discipline, my dad, I'm so much like my father too. My father was so introverted, quiet, shy, nice. I got attributes from my father and mother.”

“I used to walk to the Washington Monument from North L Street Northwest. And I was so hungry at times, I would stop and look into the trash cans, and if there was a half a sandwich, I would take that sandwich and eat it. It was just a matter of survival. I didn't think much of it, but it was just the way things were.”

“Muhammad Ali was a god, an idol and an icon. He was boxing. Any kid that had the opportunity to talk to Ali, to get advice from Muhammad Ali, was privileged. He's always given me time to ask questions, although I was so in awe that I didn't ask questions.”

“Boxing is individual, although there's a team concept because you need a great corner, you need a great trainer, you need a great prep man, you need all of these things, but it's more of a Mano a Mano; it's more you versus me. I miss that time in training camp and Dad and Mom cooking meals. It was one big family.”

“I was not athletically inclined. I was very quiet, introverted, non-confrontational. My three older brothers were athletes - basketball, football - but I was kind of a momma's boy. Then one day, my brother Roger encouraged me to go to the boxing gym with him. I tried the gloves on, and it just felt so natural.”

“I went through real darkness, but the ring was my light. That was the one place I felt safe. I could control what happened in the ring. My heart turned icy.”

“I watched Muhammad Ali, how when he would speak, how it was such a thing of beauty. It sounded so wonderful. And I wanted to be like him.”

“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.”

“They say that I'm stubborn, and my wife says that, too, but it's paid off so far.”

“For some reason, I was drawn towards boxing. Or maybe boxing drew me towards it - because once I put those gloves on, after about six months, boxing was my life.”

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

“It's hard to talk about yourself.”

“I wanted to be like Bruce Jenner.”

“Fighters display two things. They display confidence, or they display a look that says, 'I'm not sure.'”

“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.”

“Joe Frazier was the epitome of a champion. I mean, here is a guy who was total old school, blue collar, who would fight anybody. You know, he didn't tell you he was the best fighter pound for pound.”

“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.”

“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.”