Muhammad Ali’s Wit and Wisdom: Some of His Memorable Quotes


Muhammad Ali, the legendary heavyweight champion, died on Friday at the age of 74. The internet bows its head as news and memories about him are being shared and passed all over the world, cherishing the great things that he has shared with the world and mourning for a loss of another great person. Though he was known as a great boxer, he also has a way with words and really known for his wit and wisdom as much as his boxing skill.

Here are some of the words of wisdom that the legendary Ali has shared to us:

  • “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Rumble, young man, rumble,” he said in 1964, before his fight with Sonny Liston.
  • “The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life,” he said in a 1975 issue of Playboy.
  • “What I suffered physically was worth what I’ve accomplished in life. A man who is not courageous enough to take risks will never accomplish anything in life,” he said at a news conference on Oct. 28, 1984 in Houston.
  • “Don’t count the days. Make the days count,” he said, according to ESPN.
  • “I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want,” he said.
  • “When I feel pain, that’s when I start counting, because that’s when it really counts,” he said.
  • “Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.”
  • “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
  • “The word 'Islam' means 'peace.' The word 'Muslim' means 'one who surrenders to God.' But the press makes us seem like haters.”
  • “I've made my share of mistakes along the way, but if I have changed even one life for the better, I haven't lived in vain.”
  • “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.”
  • “If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.”
  • “Wars of nations are fought to change maps. But wars of poverty are fought to map change.”
Source: Time

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