Quotes from Muhammad Ali

For every struggle that Joe survived, For every dispute he endured, to rise, Joe will go down in history as a model for champions to come. While Frazier was a man of few words, Ali was a world of mouth, but he found his place in history. Now his heart can express him well. Joe Frazier was a silent warrior, whom Ali silently admired. One could not rise without the other.

Parkinson's is my toughest fight. No, it doesn't hurt. It's hard to explain. I'm being tested to see if I'll keep praying, to see if I'll keep my faith. All great people are tested by God.

I need to be famous so I can talk about religion. I can talk about God. It's an expensive price that I have to pay to be the most famous man on earth and I do it with pleasure only for God. My fight is only and introduction to the real fight, the one for God. Fighting by itself doesn't interest me anymore. I want to help people, the black people and I need any kind of media to spread my thought: God, charity, peace.

Christians are my brothers, Hindus are my brothers, all of them are my brothers. We just think different and believe different.

I hated the sight on TV of big, clumsy, lumbering heavyweights plodding, stalking each other like two Frankenstein monsters, clinging, slugging toe to toe. I knew I could do it better ... circle, dance, shuffle, hit and move ... make an art out of it.

There were so many fellows ranked over me I couldn't just whoop them all. I had to out-shadow them by talking.

In a competition of love we'll all share in the victory, no matter who comes first.

I'm not the greatest; I'm the double greatest. Not only do I knock 'em out, I pick the round.

Service to others is the rent we pay for our room in Heaven.

Rocky doesn't act nothing like me. Apollo Creed, the way he dances, the way he jabs, the way he talks.... That's me.

Cassius Clay is a slave name. I didn't choose it and I don't want it. I am Muhammad Ali, a free man -- it means "Beloved of God" -- and I insist people use it in speaking of and to me.

There live a great man named Joe / who was belittled by a loudmouth foe / While his rival would taunt and tease / Joe silently bore the stings / And then fought like gladiator in the ring