Quotes by Muhammad Ali

“Boxing is a lot of white men watching two black men beat each other up.”

“To be able to give away riches is mandatory if you wish to possess them. This is the only way that you will be truly rich.”

“I never thought of losing, but now that it s happened, the only thing is to do it right. Thats my obligation to all the people who believe in me. We all have to take defeats in life.”

“Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesnt matter which color does the hating. Its just plain wrong.”

“I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. Im in a world of my own.”

“Im so pretty I even smell pretty.”

“A champion is someone who gets up when he cant.”

“This may shockan amasia but Im gonna beat Joe Frazier.”

If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it - then I can achieve it.

I hated every minute of training, but I said, Dont quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.

You lose nothing when fighting for a cause ... In my mind the losers are those who dont have a cause they care about.

Allah is the Greatest. Im just the greatest boxer

My wealth is in my knowledge of self, love, and spirituality.

This is the legend of Cassius Clay, The most beautiful fighter in the world today.He talks a great deal, and brags indeed-y, of a muscular punch thats incredibly speed-y.The fistic world was dull and weary,But with a champ like Liston, things had to be dreary.Then someone with color and someone with dash, Brought fight fans are runnin with Cash.This brash young boxer is something to see And the heavyweight championship is his des-tin-y.This kid fights great; he’s got speed and endurance,But if you sign to fight him, increase your insurance.This kids got a left; this kids got a right,If he hit you once, youre asleep for the night.And as you lie on the floor while the ref counts ten,You’ll pray that you won’t have to fight me again.For I am the man this poem’s about,The next champ of the world, there isn’t a doubt.This I predict and I know the score,I’ll be champ of the world in ’64.When I say three, they’ll go in the third,10 months agoSo don’t bet against me, I’m a man of my word.He is the greatest! Yes!I am the man this poem’s about,I’ll be champ of the world, there isn’t a doubt.Here I predict Mr. Liston’s dismemberment,I’ll hit him so hard; he’ll wonder where October and November went.When I say two, there’s never a third,Standin against me is completely absurd.When Cassius says a mouse can outrun a horse,Don’t ask how; put your money where your mouse is!I AM THE GREATEST!

You don’t have to be in a boxing ring to be a great fighter. As long as you are true to yourself, you will succeed in your fight for that in which you believe.

Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. Its not something you learn in school. But if you havent learned the meaning of friendship, you really havent learned anything.

Wars of nations are fought to change maps. But wars of poverty are fought to map change.

If your dreams dont scare you, they arent big enough.

Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on Brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? No I’m not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end. I have been warned that to take such a stand would cost me millions of dollars. But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality. If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail, so what? We’ve been in jail for 400 years.

When it comes to love, compassion, and other feelings of the heart, I am rich.