The Best Boxing Quotes of All-Time

Watch any sport, and you’re bound to hear a memorable quote from a player, manager, or someone involved in the action.

In boxing, however, an endless array of larger-than-life characters delivers soundbites that endure, repeated or impersonated decades later.

Boxers, managers, trainers, promoters, hype men, and commentators all contribute to the sport’s rich tapestry of words.

This eclectic mix of unpredictable personalities, as captivating as the men and women who lace up the gloves, is part of what makes boxing so enthralling.

But which quotes stand above the rest?

bet365 presents some of the greatest boxing quotes of all time...

“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see.” - Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali could do it all: walk the walk and talk the talk.

Renowned for his rhyming predictions - “Joe's gonna come out smokin, but I ain't gonna be jokin". "This might shock and amaze ya, but I'm going to destroy Joe Frazier,” - Ali was a media darling.

Wherever he went, he was never short of a quip.

Many of boxing’s greatest quotes belong to ‘The Greatest’, but “Float like a butterfly…” emerged before his iconic 1974 victory over George Foreman in ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’.

Immortalised in films, songs, and fashion, it remains timeless.

“Only in America.” - Don King

The wild-haired promoter, who worked with Ali on numerous occasions, was as inventive with words as he was with deals.

While serving time at Marion Correctional Institution, King immersed himself in the prison library, honing his intellect.

His phrase “Only in America” inspired variations that twisted the American Dream into his own narrative.

Few promoters could match King’s salesmanship, making him one of boxing’s most quotable figures.

“Everyone has a plan ‘till they get punched in the face.” - Mike Tyson

If you had a strategy to defeat undisputed heavyweight great Mike Tyson in his prime, it likely crumbled the moment you faced ‘Iron’ Mike.

The Brooklynite radiated intimidation, his mere stare enough to unravel opponents’ resolve.

“I am not God, but I am something similar.” - Roberto Duran

Roberto Duran, one of boxing’s all-time greats, could be forgiven for such bravado.

The Panamanian icon spoke these words when reflecting on his revered status in his homeland, where, amidst political unrest, people clung to heroes like him.

He may not be God, but Duran sits on many a boxing Mount Rushmore.

“I couldn’t pass judgement on no one. I haven’t been perfect myself.” - Sonny Liston

Sonny Liston’s legacy is shadowed by his chequered past, which can obscure his brilliance in the ring.

A formidable figure both inside and outside the ropes, his life ended tragically.

He wasn’t perfect, but his prowess was undeniable.

“A champion is someone who gets up when they can’t.” - Jack Dempsey

This could easily adorn a gym wall or t-shirt, but it belongs to “The Manassa Mauler”.

Nearly a century after his final fight against Gene Tunney, the former heavyweight champion’s words still resonate.

The greats overcome adversity - physical or mental - to remain champions, a painful lesson that separates the elite from the merely good.

“The question isn't at what age I want to retire, it's at what income.” - George Foreman

George Foreman, architect of one of boxing’s greatest comebacks, distilled the sport’s essence into one sentence.

Boxing is prizefighting - titles are prestigious, but money pays the bills.

During his comeback, which began in 1987, a decade after his last fight, Foreman was candid: “I came back to boxing because I needed to make a living.”

His blunt honesty cut through the glamour.

“It's tough to get out of bed to do roadwork at 5am when you've been sleeping in silk pyjamas.” - Marvin Hagler

Discipline defined Marvin Hagler.

His gruelling training camps forged a beast in the ring. Yet this quote, uttered after his retirement following a loss to Sugar Ray Leonard, reflected a shift.

Having fought the best, beaten the best, and earned millions, Hagler questioned the need to rise at 5am for roadwork.

One of the few to exit boxing at the right time, he left a legacy of wisdom and grit.