Don't count the days, make the days count.

Superman don't need no seat belt. Comment to a flight attendant, who replied: "Superman don't need no airplane, either."

God gave me this illness to remind me that I'm not number One; he is.

I am America. I am the part you won't recognize, but get used to me. Black, confident, cocky — my name, not yours. My religion, not yours. My goals, my own. Get used to me.

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see, rumble young man, rumble!

Rivers, ponds, lakes and streams — they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do — they all contain truths.

Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on Brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? No I’m not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end. I have been warned that to take such a stand would cost me millions of dollars. But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality. If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail, so what? We’ve been in jail for 400 years.

If my mind can conceive it; and my heart can believe it - then I can achieve it.

Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: A desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.

If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize.

What's really hurting me, the name Islam is involved, and Muslim is involved and causing trouble and starting hate and violence. ... Islam is not a killer religion. ... Islam means peace, I couldn't just sit home and watch people label Muslims as the reason for this problem.

When you're as great as I am, it's hard to be humble.

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

I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.

I believe in the religion of Islam. I believe in Allah and peace.

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.

Fifteen referees. I want fifteen referees to be at this fight because there ain't no one man who can keep up with the pace I'm gonna set except me. There's not a man alive who can whup me. I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty. I should be a postage stamp. That's the only way I'll ever get licked.

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.

Pleasure is not happiness. It has no more importance than a shadow following a man.

It's lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believe in myself.

I'll beat him so bad he'll need a shoehorn to put his hat on. Prior to a boxing match with Floyd Patterson.

Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.

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

I never thought of losing, but now that it's happened, the only thing is to do it right. That's my obligation to all the people who believe in me. We all have to take defeats in life. Statement after losing his fight to Ken Norton (1973-03-31).