'Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee': Best quotes from Muhammad Ali
Ali's most provocative moments outside the ring 01:25
Story highlights
- Muhammad Ali was a master of knock-out quotes
- He could be fearsome, arrogant and inspiring
(CNN)Muhammad Ali was quick with his fists but he also knew the power of words to unsettle his rivals.
The boxing legend died Friday at the age of 74.
Perhaps
his most famous quote was made when he was a precocious 22-year old
about to take on world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston.
"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see."
The
phrase was often repeated to describe his style in the ring, and became
shorthand for the man who considered himself "The Greatest" before the
rest of the world cottoned on.
He could be fearsome...
"I
wrestled with an alligator, I tussled with a whale, I handcuffed
lightning, thrown thunder in jail, I'm bad man....Last week I murdered a
rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I'm so mean I make
medicine sick," he said to laughs ahead of his famous "Rumble in the Jungle" but with George Foreman in 1974,
The
following year, Ali used another play on words to promote he predicted
the pummeling of Joe Frazier at the "Thrilla in Manila."
"It will be a killer and a chiller and a thriller when I get the gorilla in Manila."
He could be arrogant
Ali took the art of talking himself up to new levels, reminding rivals that there was only one king of the ring.
'If you even dream of beating me, you better wake up and apologize.'
"It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am."
"Not only do I knock'em out , I pick the round."
"I'm
a poet, I'm a prophet, I'm the resurrector, I'm the savior of the
boxing world. If it wasn't for me, the game would be dead."
"It's not bragging if you can back it up."
"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."
And he could be inspiring...
"Don't count the days, make the days count."
"Live every day like it's your last because someday you're going to be right."
"Impossible
is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to
live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have
to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is
not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is
temporary. Impossible is nothing."
"The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."
Ironically, he also said, "I don't like fighters who talk too much."
*********************************************************
From usatoday.com:~~~~~~~~~
Muhammad Ali, considered to be the greatest heavyweight boxer, died late Friday night in a Phoenix-area hospital at 74 years old.
Here is 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. "Don’t count the days; make the days count."
5. “If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it—then I can achieve it." Jesse Jackson said this as early as 1983, according to the Associated Press, and Ali used it in his 2004 book.
6. “It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am."
7. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”
8. “If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize.”
9. “Braggin' is when a person says something and can’t do it. I do what I say.”
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. “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
15. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
16. "A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.”
17. “If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.”
18. "I shook up the world. Me! Whee!"
19. “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'”
20. “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.”
21. "A man who has no imagination has no wings."
22. "He’s (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. “I’ve wrestled with alligators. I’ve tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning. And throw thunder in jail.”
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. “It’s not bragging if you can back it up.”
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. “I’m not the greatest, I’m the double greatest.”
30. “Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right.”
*********************************************************
From usatoday.com:~~~~~~~~~
Boxers imitate famous Muhammad Ali quotes
0:46
Oscar de la Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and other boxers repeat quotes from Muhammad Ali.
USA TODAY Sports
Here is 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. "Don’t count the days; make the days count."
5. “If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it—then I can achieve it." Jesse Jackson said this as early as 1983, according to the Associated Press, and Ali used it in his 2004 book.
7. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”
8. “If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize.”
9. “Braggin' is when a person says something and can’t do it. I do what I say.”
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."
13. "I should be a postage stamp. That's the only way I'll ever get licked."
14. “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
15. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
16. "A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.”
17. “If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.”
18. "I shook up the world. Me! Whee!"
19. “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'”
20. “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.”
21. "A man who has no imagination has no wings."
22. "He’s (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. “I’ve wrestled with alligators. I’ve tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning. And throw thunder in jail.”
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. “It’s not bragging if you can back it up.”
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. “I’m not the greatest, I’m the double greatest.”
30. “Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right.”
No comments:
Post a Comment