All I've ever tried to tell anyone is that I'm not a black man or a white man or anything else. All I've ever been was an American.

The wealthy class often looks down on the poor as "those people." And deprived people view the rich as cold and heartless. The way to break down the barrier between the rich and poor is to asociate with each other and to help one another. Make a connection. If you can break down the barrier, it may pave the way to recovery for some person, a family, maybe an entire community.

You live and learn. Then you die and forget it all.

Sonny Liston stood up to me and actually made me give ground. No one has ever done that to me before or since.

Today the biggest decisions I make aren't related to the heavyweight title. They are whether I visit McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, or Jack-in-the-Box.

It embarrasses me to think of all those years I was buying silk suits and alligator shoes that were hurting my feet; cars that I just parked, and the dust would just build up on them.

A hero is someone right who doesn't change.