It is befitting that I leave the game just like I came in, beating a big bad monster who knocks out everybody and no one can whup him. So when little Cassius Clay from Louisville, Kentucky, came up to stop Sonny Liston. The man who annihilated Floyd Patterson twice. HE WAS GONNA KILL ME! But he hit harder than George. His reach is longer than George’s. He’s a better boxer than George. And I’m better now than I was when you saw that 22-years old undeveloped kid running from Sonny Liston. I’m experienced now, professional. Jaws been broke, been knocked down a couple of times, I’m bad!
Been chopping trees.
I done something new for this fight.
I done wrestled with an alligator. That’s right. I have wrestled with an alligator.
I done tussled with a whale.
I done handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail.That’s bad!
Only last week I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick!
I’m so mean I make medicine sick![…]
Bad, fast! Fast! Fast! Last night I cut the light off in my bedroom, hit the switch and was in the bed before the room was dark.
And you, George Foreman, and all of you chumps are gonna bow when I whoop him. All of you. I know you got him; I know you got him picked, but the man is in trouble. I’m gonna show you how great I am.
– Muhammad Ali
I notice how he recognizes that he went through hardship and failure to grow and succeed. You can’t win them all, but if you don’t try, you’ll lose every time!