--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was…" description: "\"When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was able to fill up an area that was empty.\" — Sugar Ray Leonard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/sugar-ray-leonard-3228_able_when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-layin_2280084.png" --- # When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was… ![“When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was able to fill up an area that was empty.” quote by Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/sugar-ray-leonard-3228_able_when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-layin_2280084.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/sugar-ray-leonard-3228_able_when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-layin_2280084.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/sugar-ray-leonard-3228_able_when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-layin_2280084.png) > “When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was able to fill up an area that was empty.” [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A professional boxer can fill gaps left by a legend, creating space for his own style and impact. **In simple terms:** When a champion steps back, a new boxer can occupy the void. Key Takeaway Embrace opportunities when predecessors step aside. Themes sports legacy opportunity competition growth Mood determined optimistic reflective Type sports career inspirational When to use this quote - career change - team leadership - market entry - creative projects Key Concepts boxing history career transition personal branding Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor a predecessor while forging your own path? - What risks arise when filling a void? A Different Perspective Success may be fleeting if not built on lasting skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Ali Laying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ali-laying-5317898/) [Empty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty/) [Laying Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laying-able-5317899/) [Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muhammad/) [Muhammad ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muhammad-ali/) [Pro Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pro-muhammad-5317900/) [Turned Pro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turned-pro-1159797/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [I watched Muhammad Ali, how when he would speak, how it was such a thing of beauty. It sounded so wonderful. And I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-watched-muhammad-ali-how-when-he-would-speak-how-it-was-such-a/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [You get these moments in the ring that live forever. That's what Muhammad Ali accomplished, and I hope that I have, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/you-get-these-moments-in-the-ring-that-live-forever-that-s-what/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [I learned to run backwards from Muhammad Ali. He told me about running backwards because you try to imitate everything you do in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-learned-to-run-backwards-from-muhammad-ali-he-told-me-about-running/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [Muhammad Ali was a god, an idol and an icon. He was boxing. Any kid that had the opportunity to talk to Ali, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/muhammad-ali-was-a-god-an-idol-and-an-icon-he-was-boxing-any-kid-that/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [We fought in 1974 - that was a long time ago. After 1981, we became the best of friends. By 1984, we loved each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foreman/we-fought-in-1974-that-was-a-long-time-ago-after-1981-we-became-the/) [George Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foreman/) > [I wanted to get in the ring and be like Muhammad Ali.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-canino/i-wanted-to-get-in-the-ring-and-be-like-muhammad-ali/) [Bonnie Canino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-canino/) > [I was taught to fighter like Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nonito-donaire/i-was-taught-to-fighter-like-sugar-ray-leonard-and-muhammad-ali-when/) [Nonito Donaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nonito-donaire/) > [I've been many times to Dubai and the U.A.E., and I have friends that live there. It would be exciting to stage world heavyweight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wladimir-klitschko/i-ve-been-many-times-to-dubai-and-the-u-a-e-and-i-have-friends-that/) [Wladimir Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wladimir-klitschko/) > [No cares about the Muhammad Ali trophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dereck-chisora/no-cares-about-the-muhammad-ali-trophy/) [Dereck Chisora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dereck-chisora/) > [In fifty years of covering the sport, of course Muhammad Ali is by far the dominant figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-schaap/in-fifty-years-of-covering-the-sport-of-course-muhammad-ali-is-by-far/) [Dick Schaap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-schaap/) > [One of my favourite fighters to watch ever, and of course before I was a ring announcer, was Muhammad Ali.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/one-of-my-favourite-fighters-to-watch-ever-and-of-course-before-i-was/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [If I could've made Muhammad Ali smaller I would have fought him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-martinez/if-i-could-ve-made-muhammad-ali-smaller-i-would-have-fought-him/) [Sergio Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-martinez/) > [To me, Muhammad Ali, he was the greatest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-baffert/to-me-muhammad-ali-he-was-the-greatest/) [Bob Baffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-baffert/) > [And I remember leaving my place in L.A. and - my father is a big fight fan - and I said, 'Dad, I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/and-i-remember-leaving-my-place-in-l-a-and-my-father-is-a-big-fight/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [I respect Muhammad Ali... he was the greatest, he was the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-ruiz-jr/i-respect-muhammad-ali-he-was-the-greatest-he-was-the-best/) [Andy Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-ruiz-jr/) ## More by Sugar Ray Leonard > [I always expect unexpected challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-always-expect-unexpected-challenges/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [Were all given some sort of skill in life. Mine just happens to be beating up on people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/were-all-given-some-sort-of-skill-in-life-mine-just-happens-to-be/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [I made mistakes, but I'm luckier than most. I've got a successful business, lots of fans who think a lot of me and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-made-mistakes-but-i-m-luckier-than-most-i-ve-got-a-successful/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [Muhammad Ali was a god, an idol and an icon. He was boxing. Any kid that had the opportunity to talk to Ali, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/muhammad-ali-was-a-god-an-idol-and-an-icon-he-was-boxing-any-kid-that/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [It's different when you become a professional, because you also have to become a businessman, and that takes something away from it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/it-s-different-when-you-become-a-professional-because-you-also-have/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [I don't hold any regrets whatsoever about my life besides hurting people I loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-don-t-hold-any-regrets-whatsoever-about-my-life-besides-hurting/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [I've never believed in tying myself up in a long-range contract, and I've been very outspoken on that subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-ve-never-believed-in-tying-myself-up-in-a-long-range-contract-and-i/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [I made the decision to turn pro, and I remember what Ali said to me: 'Get Angelo Dundee. He's the right complexion with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-made-the-decision-to-turn-pro-and-i-remember-what-ali-said-to-me/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [I was not from a middle-class family at all. I did not have middle-class possessions and what have you. But I had middle-class parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-was-not-from-a-middle-class-family-at-all-i-did-not-have-middle/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [When the trainer talks to the fighter, there's a connection. You don't always have to say much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/when-the-trainer-talks-to-the-fighter-there-s-a-connection-you-don-t/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [At 14, I was the most disciplined guy around. I would get up at 5 o'clock in the morning and run five miles, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/at-14-i-was-the-most-disciplined-guy-around-i-would-get-up-at-5-o/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [Bruce Lee was an artist and, like him, I try to go beyond the fundamentals of my sport. I want the public to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/bruce-lee-was-an-artist-and-like-him-i-try-to-go-beyond-the/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [You just don't heal that easy unless you're young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/you-just-don-t-heal-that-easy-unless-you-re-young/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [I learned to run backwards from Muhammad Ali. He told me about running backwards because you try to imitate everything you do in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-learned-to-run-backwards-from-muhammad-ali-he-told-me-about-running/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [I asked my kids, 'Do you know what Papa used to do.' They said, 'You were a boxer, you won the Olympics!' And that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-asked-my-kids-do-you-know-what-papa-used-to-do-they-said-you-were-a/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) [Explore all 136 Sugar Ray Leonard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was able to fill up an area that was empty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sugar Ray Leonard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-laying-back-and-i-was-able-to-fill/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-laying-back-and-i-was-able-to-fill/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/sugar-ray-leonard-3228_able_when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-layin_2280084.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/sugar-ray-leonard-3228_able_when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-layin_2280084.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/sugar-ray-leonard-3228_able_when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-layin_2280084.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was able to fill up an area that was empty.” — Sugar Ray Leonard", "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": "Sugar Ray Leonard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-laying-back-and-i-was-able-to-fill/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/when-i-turned-pro-muhammad-ali-was-laying-back-and-i-was-able-to-fill/#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 } } ] } ```