Muhammad Ali
was known not just for his greatness and fast footwork in the ring but also for
his sharp wit and quick tongue.
His talent
for talking earned him the nickname The Louisville Lip, but the boxer born
Cassius Clay had a new name of his own in mind: Muhammad Ali.
Ali, who
battled Parkinson's for three decades, fought in three different decades. He
finished with a record of 56-5 with 37 knockouts - 26 of those bouts promoted
by Arum - and was the first man to win heavyweight titles three times.
Here are
some of Muhammad Ali's most famous quotes:
A total eclipse
"Yes the crowd did not dream
when they laid down their money, that they would see a total eclipse of the
Sonny." - At a
press conference ahead of the first Sonny Liston fight, 1964.
King of the world
"I'm king of the world! I'm
pretty! I'm a bad man! I shook up the world! I shook up the world! I shook up
the world!" -
February 25 1964, after defeating Sonny Liston.
Bees and butterflies
"Float like a butterfly, sting
like a bee" -
This was his rallying cry after he punched Sonny Liston's face and became
champion for the first time when Liston quit on his stool after the sixth
round.
The United States Army
"I ain't got no quarrel with
them Viet Cong"
- February 17 1966, Ali's famous explanation of why he refused to serve in the
United States Army.
Prison
"They did what they thought was right, and I
did what I thought was right." - on the government's long effort to
send him to prison.
Speed of light
"I'm so fast that last night I
turned off the light in my hotel room and got into bed before the room was dark!" - Ali tells reporters ahead of the
George Foreman fight in 1974.
Making medicine sick
"Only last week, I murdered a
rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick; I'm so mean I make medicine
sick!" - At a
press conference before the Foreman fight.
“It’s hard to be humble when you’re as great
as I am.” — Undated.
“I ain’t got no quarrel with them
Vietcong.” — Feb.
17, 1966, Ali’s famous explanation of why he refused to serve in the United
States Army.
“You serious? I got to stay here and
lead my people to the right man, Elijah Muhammad.” — when asked why he doesn’t flee the
country in an interview by Robert Lipsyte of The New York Times on April 26,
1967, two days before refusing induction into military service.
“I’ve done my celebrating already. I
said a prayer to Allah.” — June 28, 1971, on being told his conviction for draft evasion was
overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“They did what they thought was
right, and I did what I thought was right.” — on government’s long effort to send him to prison.
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Former World
Heavyweight Champions Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Muhammad Ali in 1989
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“I told you all, all of my critics,
that I was the greatest of all time. ... Never make me the underdog until I’m
about 50 years old.” —
Oct. 1, 1974, after knocking out George Foreman to become heavyweight champion
for the second time, in Kinshasa, Zaire.
“I saw your wife. You’re not as dumb
as you look.” — To
President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines a few days before he beat Joe
Frazier in the Thrilla in Manila on Oct. 1, 1975.
“My gloves are going to jail! They
ain’t done nothin’ — yet.” — on being told the commission member in charge of the gloves would keep
them in a prison until his fight against Joe Bugner on July 1, 1975, at Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia.
“My name is known in Serbia,
Pakistan, Morocco. These are countries that don’t follow the Kentucky Derby.” — New York Times interview, April
1977.
“All I can do is fight for truth and
justice. I can’t save anybody. He’s a science fiction character, and I’m a real
character.” - at a
news conference Jan. 31, to announce a comic book in which Ali beats Superman.
“People say I talk so slow today. That’s no
surprise. I calculated I’ve taken 29,000 punches. But I earned $57 million and
I saved half of it. So I took a few hard knocks. Do you know how many black men
are killed every year by guns and knives without a penny to their names? I may
talk slow, but my mind is OK.” — Jan. 20, 1984, while in Seattle for a benefit for Sugar
Ray Seales, legally blind because of detached retinas suffered while boxing.
“What I suffered physically was worth
what I’ve accomplished in life. A man who is not courageous enough to take
risks will never accomplish anything in life.” — at a news conference Oct. 28,
1984, at Houston.
