You have to keep your goal in mind and never lose sight of it. I envisioned myself winning the heavyweight title for ten years before I actually captured it. If you're not driven to do your best, you'll never reach the level of excellence in your life.

If I could take a punch like that, I might have been able to think up a name besides George for all my sons.

There's never been a boxer better than Joe Louis. You'd take one shot from him and you were sure he'd have seven or eight more coming for you. Certainly Muhammad Ali was the greatest man ever to fight, but not the greatest boxer.

The Rope a Dope would not have existed without the Big Dope.

All the dogs I have are German shepherds from Germany, and I fly them back to Germany to show them.

A hero is someone right who doesn't change.

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