In his own words, Muhammad Ali was “the greatest” boxer of all time. Muhammad Ali was more than just a world-renowned boxer. He was a humanitarian, an icon, and a source of inspiration for people all around the world. In his own words, Ali always strived to be the best he could be both inside and outside of the ring.
Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17th, 1942, Muhammad Ali first found his love for boxing at the age of 12 when his bike was stolen and he decided to take up boxing to get revenge on the thief. From then on, there was no looking back for young Ali.
Ali quickly rose through the ranks, winning six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two national Golden Gloves titles, and an Olympic gold medal in 1960. And he quickly made a name for himself with his flashy style and brash personality.
Turning professional after his Olympic success, Ali began his reign as “The Greatest” by defeating heavyweight champion Sonny Liston in 1964. He went on to become the first and only three-time lineal heavyweight champion of the world. Over the course of his career, he won 56 out of 61 matches, 37 by knockout.
But it wasn’t just his skill in the ring that made Muhammad Ali so great. He was also known for his outspoken personality and unapologetic stance on social issues such as racism and war. He changed his name to Muhammad Ali after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964 and became one of the most controversial figures in sports. His refusal to be drafted into the military during the Vietnam War led to him being banned from boxing for three years. During that time, he spoke out against racism and injustice and became an iconic figure in the civil rights movement.
Ali returned to the ring in 1970 and won the world heavyweight championship three more times over the course of his career. He later retired from boxing in 1981 with a record of 56-5 with 37 knockouts. In 1984, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but he remained active in public life, using his platform to promote peace and social justice. He died in 2016 at the age of 74.
Join us as we explore the life lessons we can learn from “The Greatest.”
Quotes about Life
There are few people in the world who have had as much of an impact on society as Muhammad Ali. The boxing legend and social activist was not only a talented athlete, but also a gifted speaker with a way with words.
Over the years, Ali gave many memorable quotes about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. Here are just a few of his most famous sayings:
“I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.” -Muhammad Ali
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” -Muhammad Ali
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” -Muhammad Ali
“Don’t count the days, make the days count.” -Muhammad Ali
“The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.” -Muhammad Ali
“If my mind can conceive it, then I can achieve it.” -Muhammad Ali
Quotes about Success
“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” -Muhammad Ali
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'” -Muhammad Ali
“I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want.” -Muhammad Ali
“It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.” -Muhammad Ali
” Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” -Muhammad Ali
“The man who has no imagination has no wings.” -Muhammad Ali
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”
-Muhammad Ali
Quotes about Sport
“The man who has no imagination has no wings.”
-Muhammad Ali
“I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”
-Muhammad Ali
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
-Muhammad Ali
“If my mind can conceive it, then I can achieve it.”
-Muhammad Ali
Quotes about Religion and God
“I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want.” -Muhammad Ali
“There are no devils inside of me. There is only God and Allah, and I am His servant.” -Muhammad Ali
“I am the greatest; I said that even before I knew I was.” -Muhammad Ali
“I am America. I am the part you won’t recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own. Get used to me.” -Muhammad Ali
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” -Muhammad Ali
“Don’t count the days; make the days count.” -Muhammad Ali
“I scared a lot of people because they couldn’t understand me. They couldn’t understand how I could be so humble and so great at the same time.” -Muhammad Ali
“There are no devils inside of me. There is only God and Allah, and I am His servant.” -Muhammad Ali
Quotes with Humor and Sarcasm
“I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.” -Muhammad Ali
“It’s hard to be humble, when you’re as great as I am.” -Muhammad Ali
“I’m so mean, I make medicine sick.” -Muhammad Ali
“I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale; handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail; only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick; I’m so mean I make medicine sick.” -Muhammad Ali
“My biggest fear in life is dying before finding out who the hell Muhammad Ali is.” -Muhammad Ali
“I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want.” -Muhammad Ali
“Float like a butterfly sting like a bee his hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see now you see me now you don’t George thinks he will but he don’t cause he’s gone blind…” -Muhammad Ali
Video: Muhammad Ali’s Best Knockouts
If you really want to honor the legend, be sure to watch this excellent video and relive his best knockouts. These include: 1 Ali vs Foreman 2 Ali vs Liston II 3 Ali vs London 4 Ali vs Bonavena 5 Ali vs Wepner 6 Ali vs Ellis 7 Ali vs Blin 8 Ali vs Folley 9 Ali vs Patterson 10 Ali vs Mildenberger.
Image Credits:
Muhammad Ali, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Woroner Productions, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frictional, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
I’m Alice Judy and AnQuotes is a fun hobby for me. We know that everyone loves a great quote and our mission here is simple – to be the best and most interesting quote site in the world! If you have quotes you would like us to cover, please contact us.
