An Olympic gold medalist and three time heavyweight champion of the world, Ali was known for his quick feet and flying fists.
Legendary Ali was hospitalised on Thursday after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease, before dying aged 74 yesterday evening.
Born in Kentucky as Cassius Clay, Ali fought for the United States at the 1960 Olympic games and would go on to win 37 fights by knockout.
He was quick with his fists, but even quicker with with his tongue. Ali was notorious for trash-talking fellow boxers. Here are 12 of his best quotes.
Talking about himself:
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am."
“I’m young; I’m handsome; I’m fast. I can’t possibly be beat.”
Discussing his boxing style:
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"I'm not the greatest; I'm the double greatest. Not only do I knock 'em out, I pick the round."
"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see."
"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."
On refusing to fight in Vietnam:
"Man, I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong. No Vietcong ever called me n*****."
"How can I shoot those poor people? Just take me to jail."
Before fighting George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle:
"I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale, handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail; only last week I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick. I'm so mean I make medicine sick."
“I’ve seen George Foreman shadow boxing. And the shadow won."
On Joe Frazier ahead of the Thrilla in Manila:
“Frazier is so ugly that when he cries, the tears turn around and go down the back of his head.”
"It will be a killer, and a chiller, and a thriller, when I get the gorilla in Manila."
To Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos ahead of the Thrilla in Manila
"I saw your wife. You're not as dumb as you look."
On golf:
“I’m the best. I just haven’t played yet.”
