Whoever knocks persistently, ends by entering.

Champions have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.

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

To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you're not, pretend you are.

No boxer in the history of boxing has had Parkinson's. There's no injury in my brain that suggests that the illness came from boxing.

I believe in the holy Koran. It says we declare ourselves to be righteous Muslims and do not take part in wars, or in no way fashion or form take the lives of humans unless it's a holy war declared by God himself.

I'm sure no intelligent white person, in his or her right white mind, want black men and women marrying their white sons and daughters and in return introducing their grandchildren to half brown, kinky haired black people.

I say get an education. Become an electrician, a mechanic, a doctor, a lawyer, anything but a fighter. In this trade, it's the managers that make the money and last the longest.

When you're right, nobody remembers. When you're wrong, nobody forgets.

I can love freedom and the flesh and blood of my people moreso than I do the money.

I am the greatest.

I'm definitely gonna be the People's champion ... but I just ain't gonna be the champ the way you want me to be the champ. I'm gonna be the champ the way I wanna be.

If Ali says a mosquito can pull a plow, don't ask how. Hitch him up.

Floyd Paterson? Boy, he's the complete opposite to me. He no way like me. They go down in history for just being athletes. I'm getting more praise and credit for doing what I'm doing now on this show than coming here and beating five of your English champions.

To be a follower of The Honorable Elijah Mohammed, you have to completely extain from alcohol, or fornication, adultered, killin', stealin', lyin'. I would say that the people are not rejectin' the Honorable Elijah Mohammed because they don't believe what he teach.

Most people don't pray until they're in trouble.

When people need help they pray a lot.

But after they get what they want, they slow down.

If a man takes five showers a day, his body will be clean.

Praying five times a day helps me clean my mind.

Last night I had a dream. When I got to Africa, I had one hell of a rumble. I had to beat Tarzan's behind first, for claiming to be King of the Jungle.

I just try to stay half way decent looking. Boxing's a rough sport and you get hit a lot.

Floyd Paterson and other fighters, they just don't take part.They make a million dollars, they get a Rolls Royce and a nice home and a white wife and think, 'well, I made it.'

We can't be brave without fear.