Cassius Clay Quotes

Every time I look in the mirror, God looks back.

He [Cassius Clay] became a Black Muslim, which is a pseudo-religion for unbright neurotics who feel the need to hate all white people.

The world’s champ should be pretty like me!

Wars of nations are fought to change maps. But wars of poverty are fought to map change.

I did not take the name, I just named myself Cassius Clay, this is a honorable, Mohammed Ali, given to me by my religious leader and teacher, the Honorable Elijah Mohammed, and I would like to say that Mohammed means in Arabic "one who is worthy of praise" and one praiseworthy, and Ali means the most High, but the slave name Clay meant dirt with no ingredients.

If you want it, boys, get it here, thing.

Put yourself out on a limb, sucka, like me!

If they ever let me in the ring with him [Cassius Clay], I'm liable to be put away for murder.

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

Every time I look in the mirror, I see that kid from Louisville, Kentucky, staring back at me. His name was Cassius Clay.

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

Put yourself out on a limb, sucka, like me! - young Cassius Clay to heavily favored thug Sonny Liston during the weigh in before Cassius wins his first title and changes his name to Muhammad Ali.

Some make you sing and some make you scream. One makes you wish that you'd never been seen. But there's a shop on the corner that's selling papier mache, making bullet-proof faces, Charlie Manson, Cassius Clay. If you want it, boys, get it here, thing.

I have learned to live my life one step, one breath, and one moment at a time, but it was a long road. I set out on a journey of love, seeking truth, peace and understanding. I am still learning.

Now you see me, now you don't. George thinks he will, but I know he won't!

I wish people would love everybody else the way they love me. It would be a better world.

Love is a net that catches hearts like a fish

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

It isn't the mountains that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe.

If they can make penicillin out of mouldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.

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

I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.

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

We all have the same God, we just serve him differently. Rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, oceans all have different names, but they all contain water. So do religions have different names, and they all contain truth, expressed in different ways forms and times. It doesn't matter whether you're a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew. When you believe in God, you should believe that all people are part of one family. If you love God, you can't love only some of his children.

Wisdom is knowing when you can't be wise.

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.

Cassius Clay is a name that white people gave to my slave master. Now that I am free, that I don't belong anymore to anyone, that I'm not a slave anymore, I gave back their white name, and I chose a beautiful African one.

Cassius Clay must be beaten and the Black Muslims' scourge removed from boxing.

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

The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.

I run on the road long before I dance under the lights.

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

When I heard the truth about my name was not Cassius Clay, like I knew a black man in America named John Hawkins. Now, you know who John Hawkins was.He was a slave trader from England. But the white people of that time, if one had five slaves and his name was Jones, they would be called Jones' property. [...] Now that I'm free, now that I'm no longer a slave, then I want a name of my ancestors.

Only last week I murdered a rock, injured a stone and hospitalized a brick.

As long as I sit at Henry Clay's desk, I will remember his lifelong desire to forge agreement, but I will also keep close to my heart the principled stand of his cousin, Cassius Clay, who refused to forsake the life of any human, simply to find agreement.

I'll tell you how I'd like to be remembered: As a black man who won the heavyweight title - Who has humorous and who never looked down on those who looked up to him - A man who stood for freedom, justice and equality - And I wouldn't even mind if folks forgot how pretty I was.

The man who has no imagination has no wings.

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

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.

The will must be stronger than the skill.

Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision.

Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them-a desire, a dream, a vison.

This life is not real. I conquered the world and it did not bring me satisfaction.

I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest.

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