Muhammad Ali, considered to be the greatest heavyweight boxer, died late Friday night in a Phoenix-area hospital at 74 years old.
Here are a list of some of his best quotes (in no particular order):
1. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see. Now you see me, now you don’t. George thinks he will, but I know he won’t.
2. “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”
3. “I’m young; I’m handsome; I’m fast. I can’t possibly be beat.”
4. “Donโt count the days; make the days count.”
5. โIf my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe itโthen I can achieve it.”
6. โIt’s hard to be humble when you’re as great as I am.”
7. โIt isnโt the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; itโs the pebble in your shoe.โ
8. โIf you even dream of beating me you’d better wake up and apologize.โ
9. โBraggin’ is when a person says something and canโt do it. I do what I say.โ
10. “I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”
11. “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.”
12. “I’m so mean, I make medicine sick.”
13. “I should be a postage stamp. That’s the only way I’ll ever get licked.”
14. โImpossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world theyโve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. Itโs an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. Itโs a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.โ
15. โHe who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.โ
16. “A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.โ
17. โIf they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.โ
18. “I shook up the world. Me! Whee!”
19. โI hated every minute of training, but I said, โDonโt quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’โ
20. โAt home I am a nice guy: but I donโt want the world to know. Humble people, Iโve found, donโt get very far.โ
21. “A man who has no imagination has no wings.”
22. “Heโs (Sonny Liston) too ugly to be the world champ. The world champ should be pretty like me!”
23. “I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I’m in a world of my own.”
24. โIโve wrestled with alligators. Iโve tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning. And throw thunder in jail.โ
25. “Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. It’s just plain wrong.”
26. โItโs not bragging if you can back it up.โ
27. “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.”
28. “It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.”
29. โIโm not the greatest, Iโm the double greatest.โ
30. โLive everyday as if it were your last because someday you’re going to be right.โ
