Muhammad Ali Quotes in Ali (2001)

Muhammad Ali: I ain't draft dodging. I ain't burning no flag. I ain't running to Canada. I'm staying right here. You want to send me to jail? Fine, you go right ahead. I've been in jail for 400 years. I could be there for 4 or 5 more, but I ain't going no 10,000 miles to help murder and kill other poor people. If I want to die, I'll die right here, right now, fightin' you, if I want to die. You my enemy, not no Chinese, no Vietcong, no Japanese. You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. Want me to go somewhere and fight for you? You won't even stand up for me right here in America, for my rights and my religious beliefs. You won't even stand up for my right here at home.

[in an interview about a possible title fight with Joe Frazier]

Muhammad Ali: But if I ever was to get in the ring with Joe, here's what you might see. Ali comes out to meet Frazier, but Frazier starts to retreat. If Joe back up an inch farther, he'll wind up in a ringside seat. Ali swings with his left. Ali swings with his right. Just look at the kid carry the fight. Frazier keeps backin', but there's not enough room. It's only a matter of time before Ali lowers the boom. Ali swings with his right. What a beautiful swing. But the punch lifts Frazier clean out of the ring. Frazier still rising, and the referee wears a frown 'cause he can't start countin' till Frazier comes down. Frazier's disappeared from view. The crowd is getting frantic. But our radar stations done picked him up. He's somewheres over the Atlantic. Now, who would've thought, when they came to the fight, they was gonna witness the launching of a black satellite? But don't wait for that fight. It ain't never gonna happen. The onliest thing you can do is wonder and imagine.

Muhammad Ali: Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee His hands can't hit what his eyes can't see.

Muhammad Ali: What's my name? What's my name, motherfucker!

"Smokin'" Joe Frazier: What you in Philly for? Philly's my town.

Muhammad Ali: Oh I just wanna get a little closer to you, honey.

"Smokin'" Joe Frazier: Man, fuck you!

Muhammad Ali: Ain't no Vietcong ever called me nigger.

Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr.: [to Ali] I need to talk to you!

Muhammad Ali: You can stay, Brother Herbert.

Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr.: Brother? He ain't your brother! Your brother's taking your wife back to Chicago! She crying like a widow!

Muhammad Ali: Yeah, well I ain't dead!

Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr.: Well you may as well be! You don't remember your name or who you are!

Muhammad Ali: Sonny Liston, you ain't no champ! You a chump! "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!" Ahhh! "Rumble em', young man, rumble em'!"

Muhammad Ali: Hey, come on you big ugly bear, I'll turn you into a rug!

Sonny Liston: Keep talking! I'm gonna fuck you up!

Judge Ingraham: Are you prepared to apologize about your un-patriotic remarks about the war?

Muhammad Ali: No.

Judge Ingraham: No? You say you are the people's champion.

Muhammad Ali: Yes, sir.

Judge Ingraham: Do you think you're acting like you're the people's champion?

Muhammad Ali: Yes, sir. I am not going to apologize to you. This is not a courtroom and I do not have to sit here and answer your questions.

[he gets up and leaves]

Sonji: Are you a virgin?

Muhammad Ali: What do you mean "Am I a virgin"?

Muhammad Ali: Yeah, I know where Vietnam is; it's on TV. Southeast Asia? It's there, too?

[Ali lifts up Howard Cosell's toupee on national television]

Howard Cosell: [to the camera] We'll be right back.

Muhammad Ali: You want some food for that thing?

Howard Cosell: How could you do something like that to a man you revere?

Muhammad Ali: Cos it's funny.

Muhammad Ali: [to Joe Frazier] You look like the heavyweight champion of pimps.

Muhammad Ali: [watching television] Damn, did you know that you could have seven million termites living in your house and not even know it until you fall right through the corridor floor on your way to the kitchen?

Muhammad Ali: Damn Don you crazy. You must have studied the whole "D" section of the dictionary.

Muhammad Ali: I'm gonna give 1000 dollars to the man who brings me Howard Cosell's toupee, dead or alive.

Muhammad Ali: This was supposed to be the fight that Muhammad Ali was ended. Supposed the myth that Muhammad was gonna fall! Supposed to be my destruction! Well, they miscalculated, they misjudged, they got it wrong!

Muhammad Ali: Man, without me, you'd just be a mouth and a microphone.

Howard Cosell: And without me, you'd just be a mouth.

Muhammad Ali: [Prior to Round 6 versus George Foreman - Angelo Dundee and Drew 'Bundini' Brown are talking to him, but Ali instead talks to himself] I can't let you get that second wind. Which you only know is out there for you. You want the title? Want to wear the heavyweight crown? Nose broke, jaw smashed, face busted in. You ready for that? Is that you? 'Cause you facing a man who will die before he let you win.

[fighting George Foreman]

Muhammad Ali: Is that all you got?

Muhammad Ali: Gonna get me some Champ Burgers.

Muhammad Ali: Great fight kid. You were great.