Diving into the story, lessons, and greatness of the greatest of all times, Muhammad Ali from Jonathan Eig's book: Ali

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2:30- Cassius' Reality

"Why can’t I be rich?"hHe asked his father

Look there, his father said, touching the boys walnut-colored hand. That’s why you can’t be rich.

4:20 - Misfortune to Fortune: The Stolen Bike

7:20- The Goal

His goal, he said, was to be the youngest heavyweight champion in the history of boxing. Clay was only eighteen, which meant he had three years to break the record of Floyd Patterson, who had become the champ at the age of twenty one years and ten months. 

10:20 - Having a Plan

I got a fight plan and I will do it when I can. But it would be the worst thing I could do to go in there with my mind all made up. I have been fighting since I was a child, and I do everything on instinct. Sometimes I wonder at myself when I see a big fist coming at my head, and my head moves without me thinking and the big fist goes by. I wonder how I did it.

11:20- Fighting = Forgetting

The great fighter lose themselves in the void. They don’t think about it. They ride the rush.

17:50 - Champion Mindset

Maybe I can be beat. I doubt it. But the man is going to have to knock me down and then I’ll get up and he’ll have to knock me down again and I’ll get up and he’ll have to knock me down and I’ll still get up. I’ve worked too hard and too long to get this chance. I’m gonna have to be killed before I lose, and I ain't going to die easily.

22:30 - Stand on Your Beliefs

Who wants to go to jail, he said. I’m used to running around free like a little bird. In jail, you got no wife, no freedom. You can’t eat what you want…being in prison every day, looking out of the cell, not seeing nobody…A man’s got to be serious in his beliefs to do that.

35:00 - Getting Kicked in the Face

Best thing that ever happened to me. I needed that. Thank you very much. Losing that fight was just what I needed. It made me humble. I’m going into the woods and will train at my camp. No more fooling around.

Three Final Notes

Ali spoke of the meaning of his life,

God is watching me. God don’t praise me because I beat Joe Fraizer. He wants to know ho do we treat each other, how do we help on another.”

On being scared,

Years later, he would admit to friends that he had been frightened before every one of his fights. But he hid it beautifully. And once the bell rang, his fears vanished.

On your purpose

I got a feeling I was born for a purpose. I don’t know what I’m here for. I just feel abnormal, a different kind of man. I don’t know why I was born. I’m just here. A young man rumbling. I’ve always had that feeling since I was a little boy. Perhaps I was born to fulfill Biblical prophecies. I just feel I may be a part of something–divine things. Everything seems strange to me.

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