If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it – then I can achieve it.
I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion’.
You lose nothing when fighting for a cause … In my mind the losers are those who don’t have a cause they care about.
Allah is the Greatest. I’m just the greatest boxer
My wealth is in my knowledge of self, love, and spirituality.
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.
Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.
Wars of nations are fought to change maps. But wars of poverty are fought to map change.
If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.
When it comes to love, compassion, and other feelings of the heart, I am rich.
All through my life, I have been tested. My will has been tested, my courage has been tested, my strength has been tested. Now my patience and endurance are being tested.
Even when I knew people were cheating me, what was important was how I behaved, because I have to answer to God. I can’t be responsible for other people’s actions: They will have to answer to God themselves
The greatest victory in life is to rise above the material things that we once valued most.
Silence is golden when you can’t think of a good answer.
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.
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.
Often it isn’t the mountains ahead that wear you out, it’s the little pebble in your shoe.
The day I met Islam, I found a power within myself that no man could destroy or take away from me.
Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. It’s just plain wrong.
Now I had won the gold medal. But it didn’t mean anything, because I didn’t have the right color skin.
I’m a fighter. I believe in the eye-for-an-eye business. I’m no cheek turner. I got no respect for a man who won’t hit back. You kill my dog, you better hide your cat.
Inside of a ring or out, ain’t nothing wrong with going down. It’s staying down that’s wrong.
Inside of a ring or out ain’t nothing wrong with going down. It’s staying down that’s wrong.
When you’re as great as I am it’s hard to be humble.
At home I am a nice guy but I don’t want the world to know. Humble people I’ve found don’t go very far.
Ali’s got a left, Ali’s got a right – when he knocks you down, you’ll sleep for the night; and when you lie on the floor and the ref counts to ten, hope and pray that you never meet me again.
I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’
It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.
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.
Age is whatever you think it is. You are as old as you think you are.
I believe in the religion of Islam. I believe in Allah and peace.
Rivers, ponds, lakes and streams – they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do – they all contain truths.
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.
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.
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.
The word ‘Islam’ means ‘peace.’ The word ‘Muslim’ means ‘one who surrenders to God.’ But the press makes us seem like haters.
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.
My way of joking is to tell the truth. That’s the funniest joke in the world.
He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.
My only fault is that I don’t realize how great I really am.
I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.
It’s hard to be humble, when you’re as great as I am.
It’s lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself.
Friendship… is not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.
My principles are more important than the money or my title.
I’m just hoping that people understand that Islam is peace and not violence.
When you can whip any man in the world, you never know peace.
Boxing is a lot of white men watching two black men beat each other up.
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.