Muhammad Ali's greatest quotes

The boxing legend Muhammad Ali died at 74 yesterday.

The three-time world heavyweight boxing champion had suffered from a respiratory illness, complicated by Parkinson's disease.

Ali had everything needed to be the modern hero - superlative skill in his sport, the looks and the gift of the gab.

He declared himself The Greatest and it was not long before the rest of the world came round to that belief.

He was named Sportsman Of The Century by both BBC and Sports Illustrated in 1999, yet Ali's reach went beyond sport.

Ali was an icon of pop culture, an inspiration for Andy Warhol. He even fought Superman in a comic book.

He was also a campaigner for civil rights and received a jail sentence for his refusal to be drafted into the US Army for the Vietnam War.

Such was his charm that his boasts - often backed up by proof - were enjoyed by those who weren't fans of the sport.

He was as entertaining a raconteur as any on the chat show circuit of the 70s.

He was very quotable. He coined the classic phrase, "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee".

Ali training in Florida.

“If you even dream of beating me, you’d better wake up and apologise.”

“I’m so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.”

“I’ve wrestled with alligators, I’ve tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning And throw thunder in jail. You know I’m bad. Just last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick. I’m so mean, I make medicine sick.” - Muhammad Ali during a press conference before fight with George Foreman.

’THRILLA IN MANILA’.Muhammad Ali landing a right on Joe Frazier’s head in the seventh round.

“It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.”

Ali with his wife Belinda and their four children.

“Stay in college, get the knowledge, stay there until you are through. If they can make penicillin out of mouldy bread, they can sure make something of you!”

“Don’t count the days, make the days count.”

“I won’t miss boxing. Boxing will miss me.”