I learned a lot from studying and watching Muhammad. One of the?main takeaways was that you have to work hard in the dark to shine?in the light. Meaning: It takes a lot of work to be successful, and?people will celebrate that success, will celebrate that flash and hype.?Behind that hype, though, is dedication, focus, and seriousness—all?of which outsiders will never see. If you stop being dedicated to the?craft, the commercials and contracts will all fade away.

Muhammad was also great at game planning. One of his strategies?that I emulated was the rope-a-dope. A lot of people know that as a?catchphrase, but I appreciate the psychology behind it, the idea that?you can manipulate an opponent’s strength and use it against them.?That’s really a brilliant concept, and one that I used often.