“I refuse to let adversity allow me to be average.”

“My objective is to destroy anybody over 200 pounds, in the ring or out.”

“My intentions were not to fascinate the world with my personality.”

“I'm the best ever. I'm the most brutal and vicious, and most ruthless champion there's ever been. There's no one can stop me. Lennox is a conqueror? No, I'm Alexander, he's no Alexander. I'm the best ever! There's never been anybody as ruthless! I'm Sonny Liston, I'm Jack Dempsey. There's no one like me. I'm from their cloth. There's no one that can match me. My style is impetuous, my defense is impregnable, and I'm just ferocious. I want your heart! I want to eat his children! Praise be to Allah!”

“My style was impetuous, my defenses were impregnable, and I was ferocious.”

“Teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wast born,To signify thou camest to bite the world.”

“I am the friend of peace and mean to preserve it for America so long as I am able. . . . No course of my choosing or of their (nations at war) will lead to war. War can come only by the wilful acts and aggressions of others.”

“Modern war is so expensive that we feel trade to be a better avenue to plunder; but modern man inherits all the innate pugnacity and all the love of glory of his ancestors.”