When you step foot into your first professional…

I never had an amateur career; I didn't go to college in America; when I came out on tour nobody knew who I was.

— Ian Poulter

I started off and I didn't have the advantage like other fighters of having an amateur career to grow and learn and make mistakes.…

— Liz Carmouche

While growing up, my dream and my goal was to win an Olympic gold medal. I did that, and both times, they were the…

— Vasyl Lomachenko

It came like a natural thing for me, and I liked it. That's how my amateur career started. But again, no interest in a…

— Mikey Garcia

I'm very experienced in four-round fights because of my amateur career, and I've got a high work rate.

— Amir Khan

I've worked so hard, I've won a lot in my junior career, did great things in my amateur career, was 6-0 in match play…

— Patrick Reed

If I'm not Top 10 or seeded every tournament, it really doesn't matter. I can beat anyone on a good day.

— Caroline Wozniacki

I think everyone will agree that it doesn't matter how we get to an international tournament. We are going to do whatever it takes.

— John McGinn

“The distance doesn't matter; it is only the first step that is difficult.”

— Mari de Vichy-Chamrond Marquise du Deffand

Every artist was first an amateur.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

I did a musical when I was 17, an amateur show, and I loved it.

— Taron Egerton

My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…

— Ciaran Hinds

A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…

— James Agate

“The amateur doesn't appreciate the need for experimentation. He wants his experts to know.”

— B.F. Skinner

“The definition of a professional is one who does a job well even when they don't like it.”

— Alan Sheinwald