“Float like a Butterfly; Sting like a Bee…”

 “Float like a Butterfly; Sting like a Bee. The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see.”

“The Rope-a-Dope” – Ali’s boxing strategy

 “Rumble in the Jungle” – Ali vs. George Foreman, 1974

“Thrilla in Manila” – Ali vs. Joe Frazier, 1975

These phrase and events were/are synonymous to the legendary boxer Cassius Clay, aka Muhammad Ali. I grew up in awe of him as an amazing athlete and an international humanitarian.

His strong self-confidence was often mistaken as arrogance. However, he would say. “It ain’t bragging – if you can back it up.”

He was a master of “psychological warfare.” Without being a clinical psychologist, he would repeat to his opponent over & over “You are going down in the 3^rd Round. You are going down in the 3rd Round.” Guess what? He would knock them out in the 3^rd Round!

Some of his “rants” of confidence included:

“If you even dream about beating me, You’d better wake up and apologize.”

“I’m so mean, I make medicine sick.”

“I’m young; I’m handsome; I’m fast; I’m pretty; and can’t possibly be beaten.”

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

“I AM THE GREATEST. I said this even before I knew I was.”

The stands he took were amazing. He competed & won Olympic Gold for USA & came home to still be treated with discrimination under Jim Crow Laws. When he refused to be drafted into the military during the Vietnam War, He said, “Why am I going to fight people who have done nothing to me for a country that mistreats me.”

He had converted to Islam and sited religious beliefs as his reason for not going. His case made it all the way to the Supreme Court, where he was eventually vindicated.

His bantor and on-going dialogue with ABC Sports Journalist Howard Cosell were epic! He challenged him to be a better reporter.

He definitely was considered “before his time.”

However, I challenge that he was RIGHT ON TIME.

He will always be my most inspiring Athlete of all Time.

 Muhammad Ali’s quotes regarding life:

 “I hated every minute of training. But I said, ‘Don’t Quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’ “

“It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you down. It’s the peeble in your shoe.”

“Impossible is not a declaration, it’s a DARE.”

“Don’t Count the Days, Make the Days Count.”

 “Age is whatever you think it is. You are as old as you think you are.”

 Probably, one of his most profound quotes that I admire:

“We have one life, it soon will be past;

What we do for God, is all that will last.”


(Image via Pinterest)