---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At 19, I decided to turn professional and…"
description: "\"At 19, I decided to turn professional and accepted my first fight for $250 at the Atlantis Hotel, Atlantic City, on October 3 1985. It set up my whole ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/chris-eubank-sr-6416_atlantic-city_at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and_1831263.jpg"
---

#  At 19, I decided to turn professional and accepted my…

![“At 19, I decided to turn professional and accepted my first fight for $250 at the Atlantis Hotel, Atlantic City, on October 3 1985. It set up my whole career and life.” quote by Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/chris-eubank-sr-6416_atlantic-city_at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and_1831263.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/chris-eubank-sr-6416_atlantic-city_at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and_1831263.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/chris-eubank-sr-6416_atlantic-city_at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and_1831263.jpg)

> “At 19, I decided to turn professional and accepted my first fight for $250 at the Atlantis Hotel, Atlantic City, on October 3 1985. It set up my whole career and life.”

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Early low‑stakes fights can be pivotal, shaping a career and life direction.

**In simple terms:** A small first fight can launch a big career.

Key Takeaway

Embrace humble beginnings as stepping stones.

Themes

career beginnings boxing risk growth

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

sports personal

When to use this quote

- first professional bout
- career turning point
- long‑term impact

Key Concepts

early career decisions financial sacrifice skill development

Questions to Reflect On

- What did you learn from that first fight?
- How can early setbacks become advantages?

A Different Perspective

Initial low pay may limit resources for training.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Accepted Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepted-fight-1724592/) [Atlantic city](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atlantic-city/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Fight 250](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight-250-2275835/) [Hotel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hotel/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Professional Accepted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional-accepted-2275834/) [Turn Professional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn-professional-605975/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/)

## Related quotes

> [I accepted to fight Ricardo Lamas, but then I later learned that he didn't take the fight with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-accepted-to-fight-ricardo-lamas-but-then-i-later-learned-that-he/)

[Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/)

> [Terrorism can never be accepted. We must fight it together, with methods that do not compromise our respect for the rule of law and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lindh/terrorism-can-never-be-accepted-we-must-fight-it-together-with/)

[Anna Lindh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lindh/)

> [Well what a turn-up. From professional footballer to television presenter to green politician. Whatever next?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/well-what-a-turn-up-from-professional-footballer-to-television/)

[David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/)

> [When you turn professional, you become an entertainer, and like every other entertainer, you don't want to get a bad review.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/when-you-turn-professional-you-become-an-entertainer-and-like-every/)

[Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/)

> [When you turn professional with the amount of medals that I've won, then you have to assume that big things are expected of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-campbell/when-you-turn-professional-with-the-amount-of-medals-that-i-ve-won/)

[Luke Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-campbell/)

> [Of course I will turn professional at some stage. Then I want to be a world champion and finish up a legend and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amir-khan/of-course-i-will-turn-professional-at-some-stage-then-i-want-to-be-a/)

[Amir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amir-khan/)

> [People turn professional and they are not running as fast as they did in college because it is a lot different, but I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-coleman/people-turn-professional-and-they-are-not-running-as-fast-as-they-did/)

[Christian Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-coleman/)

> [“When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/when-the-going-gets-weird-the-weird-turn-professional/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [It was definitely a hard decision to turn professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cain/it-was-definitely-a-hard-decision-to-turn-professional/)

[Mary Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cain/)

> [“beauty contests, she said seriously, they gave out scholarship awards. "It's the biggest scholarship program in the world—they told us that at the Miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-gilles-seidel/beauty-contests-she-said-seriously-they-gave-out-scholarship-awards/)

[Kathleen Gilles Seidel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-gilles-seidel/)

> ['Atlantic City' is very good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-capaldi/atlantic-city-is-very-good/)

[Peter Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-capaldi/)

> [Donald Trump was tainted every kind of way you could imagine. I mean, no way in the world that Donald Trump is a champion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/donald-trump-was-tainted-every-kind-of-way-you-could-imagine-i-mean/)

[Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/)

> [ “On my way out of \[Atlantic City\] at quarter after seven in the morning, a young pump jockey at the gas station \[...\] mentioned… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howard-kunstler/on-my-way-out-of-atlantic-city-at-quarter-after-seven-in-the-morning/)

[James Howard Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howard-kunstler/)

> [In all my years in show business - on stage, clubs and TV shows - my audience has been 75 percent white. In Las…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/in-all-my-years-in-show-business-on-stage-clubs-and-tv-shows-my/)

[Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/)

> [“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving, hysterical, naked... who passed through universities with radiant cool eyes hallucinating Arkansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/i-saw-the-best-minds-of-my-generation-destroyed-by-madness-starving/)

[Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/)

## More by Chris Eubank Sr

> [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [I moved to New York aged 16, and worked part-time in a Korean store in South Bronx selling groceries, bread and confectionery. I earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/i-moved-to-new-york-aged-16-and-worked-part-time-in-a-korean-store-in/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [Yes, I have spent. I have lived and had accidents. It's all part of life's wonderful experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/yes-i-have-spent-i-have-lived-and-had-accidents-it-s-all-part-of-life/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [I'm not bankrupt of fun, life, my dignity, my character, my essence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/i-m-not-bankrupt-of-fun-life-my-dignity-my-character-my-essence/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [Michael Watson is a part of me. It's in my head, it's in my grain. There are scars within me. Therefore, those scars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/michael-watson-is-a-part-of-me-it-s-in-my-head-it-s-in-my-grain-there/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [Fighters who speak disparagingly about fighters from years gone by do us all a disservice. It is treacherous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/fighters-who-speak-disparagingly-about-fighters-from-years-gone-by-do/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [Most people seem to think I am something of a character and the things that have befallen me are par for my course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/most-people-seem-to-think-i-am-something-of-a-character-and-the/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [I'm a good man and a bad fighter... I've got the gladiator in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/i-m-a-good-man-and-a-bad-fighter-i-ve-got-the-gladiator-in-me/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [I am not a meathead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/i-am-not-a-meathead/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [I am a strong father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/i-am-a-strong-father/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [You aren't going to show me something I haven't seen. Nobody can bring something to me that I don't already know, not in boxing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/you-aren-t-going-to-show-me-something-i-haven-t-seen-nobody-can-bring/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [Fortunately, I was technically skilled, so I didn't have to bludgeon people, I didn't have to batter them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/fortunately-i-was-technically-skilled-so-i-didn-t-have-to-bludgeon/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [The Watson fight was the worst beating I ever took in a ring, but I couldn't quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/the-watson-fight-was-the-worst-beating-i-ever-took-in-a-ring-but-i/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [I'm an entertainer, aren't I? I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/i-m-an-entertainer-aren-t-i-i-think/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [Fear is what activates your tools; your jab, your movement, your speed, your ability to absorb punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/fear-is-what-activates-your-tools-your-jab-your-movement-your-speed/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

[Explore all 99 Chris Eubank Sr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

## More Atlantic city quotes

> [“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving, hysterical, naked... who passed through universities with radiant cool eyes hallucinating Arkansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/i-saw-the-best-minds-of-my-generation-destroyed-by-madness-starving/)

[Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/)

> [In all my years in show business - on stage, clubs and TV shows - my audience has been 75 percent white. In Las…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/in-all-my-years-in-show-business-on-stage-clubs-and-tv-shows-my/)

[Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/)

> [ “On my way out of \[Atlantic City\] at quarter after seven in the morning, a young pump jockey at the gas station \[...\] mentioned… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howard-kunstler/on-my-way-out-of-atlantic-city-at-quarter-after-seven-in-the-morning/)

[James Howard Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howard-kunstler/)

> [Donald Trump was tainted every kind of way you could imagine. I mean, no way in the world that Donald Trump is a champion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/donald-trump-was-tainted-every-kind-of-way-you-could-imagine-i-mean/)

[Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/)

> ['Atlantic City' is very good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-capaldi/atlantic-city-is-very-good/)

[Peter Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-capaldi/)

> [“beauty contests, she said seriously, they gave out scholarship awards. "It's the biggest scholarship program in the world—they told us that at the Miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-gilles-seidel/beauty-contests-she-said-seriously-they-gave-out-scholarship-awards/)

[Kathleen Gilles Seidel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-gilles-seidel/)

> [There's milk-and-cookies Grandma, and there's Colt 45 and Atlantic City Grandma. She was the latter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-williams/there-s-milk-and-cookies-grandma-and-there-s-colt-45-and-atlantic/)

[Jessica Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-williams/)

> [I lost $6 in Atlantic City once and said, 'Never again.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mckinnon/i-lost-6-in-atlantic-city-once-and-said-never-again/)

[Kate McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mckinnon/)

> [I was actually born in New York City, but my family moved to Atlantic City when I was five, this being my dad's home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/i-was-actually-born-in-new-york-city-but-my-family-moved-to-atlantic/)

[Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/)

> [I'm the No. 1 developer in New York, I'm the biggest in Atlantic City, and maybe we'll keep it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-the-no-1-developer-in-new-york-i-m-the-biggest-in-atlantic-city/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [“I wondered what it was like, to gradually lose little pieces of your mind. Maybe it wasn’t so bad if you didn’t know it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-brent/i-wondered-what-it-was-like-to-gradually-lose-little-pieces-of-your/)

[Cora Brent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-brent/)

> [Cole Archer's Chillout Mix. That's my son's mix. He's ten weeks old, and this is what he listens to: 'Valerie' by Amy Winehouse, 'Everyday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-pally/cole-archer-s-chillout-mix-that-s-my-son-s-mix-he-s-ten-weeks-old-and/)

[Adam Pally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-pally/)

> [“The Teamsters pension fund organized by Hoffa almost immediately became a source of loans to the national crime syndicate known to the public as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/the-teamsters-pension-fund-organized-by-hoffa-almost-immediately/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [It doesn't seem too unusual to have a live hermit crab here in Atlantic City, but when you think I brought it all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-george/it-doesn-t-seem-too-unusual-to-have-a-live-hermit-crab-here-in/)

[Phyllis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-george/)

> [During Prohibition, Atlantic City created the idea of the speakeasy, which turned into nightclubs and that extraordinary political complexity and corruption coming out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/during-prohibition-atlantic-city-created-the-idea-of-the-speakeasy/)

[Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/)

[Browse all 59 Atlantic city quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atlantic-city/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "At 19, I decided to turn professional and accepted my first fight for $250 at the Atlantis Hotel, Atlantic City, on October 3 1985. It set up my whole career and life.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Chris Eubank Sr"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and-accepted-my-first-fight-for/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Atlantic city"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and-accepted-my-first-fight-for/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/chris-eubank-sr-6416_atlantic-city_at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and_1831263.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/chris-eubank-sr-6416_atlantic-city_at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and_1831263.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/chris-eubank-sr-6416_atlantic-city_at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and_1831263.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“At 19, I decided to turn professional and accepted my first fight for $250 at the Atlantis Hotel, Atlantic…” — Chris Eubank Sr",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Chris Eubank Sr",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "At 19, I decided to turn...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and-accepted-my-first-fight-for/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/at-19-i-decided-to-turn-professional-and-accepted-my-first-fight-for/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
