These are some of the memorable quotes from Muhammad Ali during his lifetime. He was not only a boxer, but was also an activist, poet, and goal getter. Born Cassius clay but later converted to the religion of Islam, and changed his name to, Muhammad Ali. Enjoy!



Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.
Muhammad Ali
Friendship, Learn, Meaning


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
Inspirational, Life


Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
Muhammad Ali
Bee, Butterfly, Float


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
Motivational, Truth, Free


The word 'Islam' means 'peace.' The word 'Muslim' means 'one who surrenders to God.' But the press makes us seem like haters.
Muhammad Ali
God, Peace, Islam


He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.
Muhammad Ali
Courage, Life, Accomplish


I don't have to be what you want me to be.
Muhammad Ali


If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize.
Muhammad Ali
Dream, Apologize, Beating


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
Week, Medicine, Sick


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, no matter where it gets them. Jesus, Wonder Woman, Tarzan and Rocky.
Muhammad Ali
Great, Woman, Boxing


I've been everywhere in the world, seen everything, had everything a man can have.
Muhammad Ali
Everywhere, Seen


Boxing is a lot of white men watching two black men beat each other up.
Muhammad Ali
Men, Black, Boxing


Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.
Muhammad Ali
Power, Soul, Win


Age is whatever you think it is. You are as old as you think you are.
Muhammad Ali
Age, Whatever


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.
Muhammad Ali
Fight, Advice, Win


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
Boxing, Beatles, Realize


If they can make penicillin out of mouldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.
Muhammad Ali
Bread, Sure, Penicillin


Wars of nations are fought to change maps. But wars of poverty are fought to map change.
Muhammad Ali
Change, Poverty, Maps


I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I'm in a world of my own.
Muhammad Ali
Boxing, Jet, Louis



Top 10 Muhammad Ali Quotes
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.
Muhammad Ali
Love, Men, Kiss


I used to tease Joe Louis by reminding him that I was the greatest of all time. But Joe Louis was the greatest heavyweight fighter ever.
Muhammad Ali
Time, Greatest, Fighter


I've made my share of mistakes along the way, but if I have changed even one life for the better, I haven't lived in vain.
Muhammad Ali
Life, Mistakes, Lived


Allah's the Arabic term for God. Stand up for God, fight for God, work for God and do the right thing, and go the right way, things will end up in your corner.
Muhammad Ali
Work, God, Fight


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 white name, and I chose a beautiful African one..
Muhammad Ali
Beautiful, Free, Name


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 they did.
Muhammad Ali
God, Money, Church


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.
Muhammad Ali
Home, Humble, Nice


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


A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.
Muhammad Ali
Life, Fifty, Thirty


I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.
Muhammad Ali
Fast, Light, Dark


Rivers, ponds, lakes and streams - they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do - they all contain truths.
Muhammad Ali
Religion, Water, Rivers


I believe in the religion of Islam. I believe in Allah and peace.
Muhammad Ali
Peace, Religion, Allah


It's lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself.
Muhammad Ali
Faith, Challenges, Meeting


It's not bragging if you can back it up.
Muhammad Ali
Bragging


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.
Muhammad Ali
Jesus, Loved, Lived


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 talking like this, some said, 'That black man talks too much. He's bragging.'
Muhammad Ali
Butterfly, Greatest, Bee


It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.
Muhammad Ali
Conviction, Repetition, Deep


It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.
Muhammad Ali
Sports, Beat, Birds


My only fault is that I don't realize how great I really am.
Muhammad Ali
Great, Fault, Realize


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
Light, Dark, Crow


I wish people would love everybody else the way they love me. It would be a better world.
Muhammad Ali
Love, Wish, Everybody


My principles are more important than the money or my title.
Muhammad Ali
Money, Principles, Title


I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.
Muhammad Ali
Great, Greatest, Knew


Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.
Muhammad Ali
Color, Wrong, Matter


Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer.
Muhammad Ali
Good, Silence, Golden


If you lose a big fight, it will worry you all of your life. It will plague you - until you get your revenge.
Muhammad Ali
Life, Revenge, Fight


I've seen George Foreman shadow boxing, and the shadow won.
Muhammad Ali
Shadow, Boxing, Seen


I should be a postage stamp, because that's the only way I'll ever get licked. I'm beautiful. I'm fast. I'm so mean I make medicine sick. I can't possibly be beat.
Muhammad Ali
Beautiful, Medicine, Sick


Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.
Muhammad Ali
Earth, Service, Pay


What keeps me going is goals.
Muhammad Ali
Goals, Keeps


I said I was 'The Greatest,' I never said I was the smartest!
Muhammad Ali
Greatest, Smartest