He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.

It’s lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself.

Anywhere I go, there is always an incredible crowd that follows me. In Rome, as I land at the airport, even the men kiss me. I love Rome.

It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.

At home I am a nice guy: but I don’t want the world to know. Humble people, I’ve found, don’t get very far.

I had to prove you could be a new kind of black man. I had to show the world.

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

It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.

Old age is just a record of one’s whole life.

If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, then they can sure make something out of you.

The word ‘Islam’ means ‘peace.’ The word ‘Muslim’ means ‘one who surrenders to God.’ But the press makes us seem like haters.

Cassius Clay is a name that white people gave to my slave master. Now that I am free, that I don’t belong anymore to anyone, that I’m not a slave anymore, I gave back their...

I’m the most recognized and loved man that ever lived cuz there weren’t no satellites when Jesus and Moses were around, so people far away in the villages didn’t know about them.

Terrorists are not following Islam. Killing people and blowing up people and dropping bombs in places and all this is not the way to spread the word of Islam. So people realize now that all...

God tries you in certain, certain ways. Some people are rich, and they believe in God. They lose the money, things get hard, they get weak and quit going to church. Quit serving God like...

I said I was ‘The Greatest,’ I never said I was the smartest!

I don’t count my sit-ups; I only start counting when it starts hurting because they’re the only ones that count.

A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.

I’ve seen George Foreman shadow boxing, and the shadow won.

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.

Age is whatever you think it is. You are as old as you think you are.

I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest.

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.

It will be a killer, and a chiller, and a thriller, when I get the gorilla in Manila.

You think the world was shocked when Nixon resigned? Wait till I whup George Foreman’s behind.

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

I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.

All black Americans have slave names. They have white names; names that the slave master has given to them.

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...

If they can make penicillin out of mouldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.

All of us are so mixed. My great-grandfather was white.

It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.

I have been so great in boxing they had to create an image like Rocky, a white image on the screen, to counteract my image in the ring. America has to have its white images,...

Joe Frazier got hit more than me – and he doesn’t have Parkinson’s.

I try not to speak about all the charities and people I help, because I believe we can only be truly generous when we expect nothing in return.

I’m just hoping that people understand that Islam is peace and not violence.

Never put your money against Cassius Clay, for you will never have a lucky day.

I believe in the religion of Islam. I believe in Allah and peace.

It’s hard to be humble, when you’re as great as I am.

My trainer don’t tell me nothing between rounds. I don’t allow him to. I fight the fight. All I want to know is did I win the round. It’s too late for advice.

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

I would say things like ‘I am the greatest! I’m pretty! If you talk jive, you’ll drop in five! I float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! I’m pretty!’ When white people heard me...

No one knows what to say in the loser’s locker room.

I always bring out the best in men I fight, but Joe Frazier, I’ll tell the world right now, brings out the best in me. I’m gonna tell ya, that’s one helluva man, and God...

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.

Sonny Liston is nothing. The man can’t talk. The man can’t fight. The man needs talking lessons. The man needs boxing lessons. And since he’s gonna fight me, he needs falling lessons.

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.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

I figure I’ll be champ for about ten years and then I’ll let my brother take over – like the Kennedys down in Washington.

To make America the greatest is my goal, so I beat the Russian and I beat the Pole. And for the U.S.A. won the medal of gold. The Greeks said, ‘You’re better than the Cassius...