The Greatest of All Time, Muhammad Ali is one of the few athletes who can claim the honour. Ali, a cultural icon, civil rights hero, and unrivaled heavyweight talent, died at the age of 74 and was immensely revered around the world. In this article, we have compiled some of the most memorable quotes by Muhammad Ali.
Over the course of his illustrious career, the champion boxer did plenty of work with his fists—beating legends like Joe Frazier, Sonny Liston, and George Foreman—but he did just as much, if not more, with his words. Ali could talk trash as well as he could box, and he could wax poetry with phrases and quotations that have stood the test of time. With his doggerel in the ring and out of it, the Olympic gold medalist and three-time heavyweight champion inspired millions.
Let’s have a look at these 40 Memorable Quotes by Muhammad Ali-
- “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.” – Muhammad Ali
- “I would like to be remembered as a man who won the heavyweight title three times. Who was humorous and who treated everyone right. As a man who never looked down on those who looked up to him, and who helped as many people as he could. As a man who stood up for his beliefs no matter what. As a man who tried to unite all humankind through faith and love. And if all that’s too much, then I guess I’d settle for being remembered only as a great boxer who became a leader and a champion of his people. And I wouldn’t even mind if folks forgot how pretty I was.” – Muhammad Ali
- “There are no pleasures in a fight, but some of my fights have been a pleasure to win.” – Muhammad Ali
- “We can’t be brave without fear.” – Muhammad Ali
- “What you’re thinking is what you’re becoming.” – Muhammad Ali
- “The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” – Muhammad Ali
- “I wish people would love everybody else the way they love me. It would be a better world.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Life is so, so short. Bible says it’s like a vapor.” – Muhammad Ali
- “I don’t count my sit-ups; I only start counting when it starts hurting because they’re the only ones that count.” – Muhammad Ali
- “It’s lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Put yourself out on a limb, like me!” – Muhammad Ali
- “You lose nothing when fighting for a cause.” – Muhammad Ali
- “If you even dream of beating me, you’d better wake up and apologize.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Silence is golden when you can’t think of a good answer.” – Muhammad Ali
- “To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If not, pretend you are.” – Muhammad Ali
- “It’s funny, but those who hate me the most sometimes inspire me the most.” – Muhammad Ali
- “I don’t trust anyone who’s nice to me, but rude to a waiter because they would treat me the same if I were in that position.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Jokes? There are no jokes. The truth is the funniest joke of all.” – Muhammad Ali
- “I calculate that I took 20,000 punches, but I earned millions and kept a lot of it. I may talk slow, but my mind is OK.” – Muhammad Ali
- “I know I can learn to hit without getting hit.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Don’t count the days; make the days count.” – Muhammad Ali
- “I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.” – Muhammad Ali
- “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” – Muhammad Ali
- “The greatest victory in life is to rise above the material things that we once valued most.” – Muhammad Ali
- “I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I’m in a world of my own.” – Muhammad Ali
- “A rooster crows only when it sees the light. Put him in the dark and he’ll never crow. I have seen the light and I’m crowing.” – Muhammad Ali
- “No one knows what to say in the loser’s locker room.” – 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
- “My principles are more important than the money or my title.” – Muhammad Ali
- “What keeps me going is goals.” – Muhammad Ali
- “When I won the Golden Gloves in 1960, that made me realize I had a chance. And when I won at the Olympics, that sealed it: I was the champ.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Truly great people in history never wanted to be great for themselves. All they wanted was the chance to do good for others and be close to God.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Too many easy victories can ruin a fighter just as much as a long line of defeats.” – Muhammad Ali
- “It’s in my blood to be around people while I was training.” – Muhammad Ali
- “People don’t realize what they had till it’s gone. Like President Kennedy, there was no one like him, the Beatles, and my man Elvis Presley. I was the Elvis of boxing.” – Muhammad Ali
- “The critics only made me work harder.” – Muhammad Ali
- “I’m not the greatest, I’m the double greatest.” – Muhammad Ali
Conclusion:
Muhammad Ali was also known for his witty one-liners, inspirational Muhammad Ali quotes, and pre-fight trash talk, which is why we’ve compiled a list of 40 of the most memorable quotes by Muhammad Ali. The best Muhammad Ali quotes are not only memorable, but also inspiring. You might be shocked by some of Muhammad Ali’s quotes, and you could even discover something new about the legendary boxer while you’re at it.
Also checkout: 30 Best Motivational Quotes by Morgan Freeman
