I AM THE GREATEST by MUHAMMAD ALI

I am the Greatest. I am the best fighter in the world. No my name is not Cassius Clay. Not anymore. I am Muhammad Ali. The World Heavyweight Champion. I am supposed to be undefeated. But how? How did that Joe Frazier manage to beat me?

I can’t believe I just had my first lose in my entire professional career. What happened in the arena is still crystal clear in my head. The atmosphere, the crowds, they were all yelling my name. And clearly, I dominated the first three rounds, peppering that Joe. With my speed and strength. He didn’t have any chance at all. But, his left hook did break my jaw and the table was turned. I only manage to defend and keep on fighting, pushing him to the last round. And it was the white’s man decision making him the champion of this Fight of the Century.

How can I lose? How can I lose? How can I lose?

(Exhales, moment of silence)

Never feel sorry for yourself Ali. Because only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win the match.

But of course I can’t lie that I’m hurt. Now, Ali listen to your heart. Being defeat is often temporary. Giving up is what makes it permanent. Remember, life is a boxing match. Defeat is declared not when you fall but when you refuse to stand again. And I cannot let that happens to me. I must rise. Rise and shine.

I must be the greatest. I cannot quit now. I did lose. But I am not defeated. I ain’t no going to quit now. To be a great champion I must believe that I am the best. Who said it is impossible?

Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.

No one can ever stop me from boxing. You can never force the heart to stop beating.

I am limitless. Why? Because the only limitations one has are the ones they place on themselves.

Don’t mess with me. I’ve done something special. I’ve wrestled with a alligator. I tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning. Throwed thunder in jail.

I do believe when I said I am the greatest. I’m a poet, I’m a prophet, I’m the ressurector, the savior of the boxing world. No one can come above me.

I told you already, I am floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee.Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I’m so mean I make medicine sick.

I’m young. I’m handsome. I’m fast. I’m pretty. Can’t possibly be beaten again.

That Joe Frazier. I won’t let him ever beat me again. The next time I see him, he will be mine in round nine. If he makes me sore, I’ll cut it to four . If that don’t do we’ll get him in two. If he run, we’ll get him in one.

He thinks he is the world champion but he is too ugly to be the world champion. The world champion has to be pretty like me. This time, I am a bigger fool. I’m flat on my back istead of the stool.

But, before I make a comeback. I have to train more and more and more. Harder, is not enough. I must train over and over and over again. Now is the time. Now. Every second, every minute, every hour I waste just keeping me away from being the world greatest. I must start today as it determine the outcome of tomorrow.

I need to get my feet together and starts training. Training untill my back is against the wall. My heart pounding. My joints screaming. Head shaking. Heart beating through this fingertips. And I gasps for air. My muscles are scrapping so hard that I can’t push anymore.

That is what training is and I hate every single minute of that. but, I must not quit. Suffer now and live the rest of my life as a champion.