Muhammad Ali

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

"When I won the Golden Gloves in 1960, that made me realize I had a chance. And when I won at the Olympics, that sealed it: I was the champ."

"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."

"God tries you in certain, certain ways. Some people are rich, and they believe in God. They lose the money, things get hard, they get weak and quit going to church. Quit serving God like they did."

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

"I believe in the religion of Islam. I believe in Allah and peace."

"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."

"I'm just hoping that people understand that Islam is peace and not violence."

"It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up."

"It's lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself."

"My principles are more important than the money or my title."

"My way of joking is to tell the truth. That's the funniest joke in the world."

"Never put your money against Cassius Clay, for you will never have a lucky day."

"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."

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

"The name Muhammad is the most common name in the world. In all the countries around the world - Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon - there are more Muhammads than anything else. When I joined the Nation of Islam and became a Muslim, they gave me the most famous name because I was the champ."

"The word 'Islam' means 'peace.' The word 'Muslim' means 'one who surrenders to God.' But the press makes us seem like haters."