Muhammad Ali's 10 greatest one-liners

Muhammad Ali was widely regarded as one of the most iconic sportspeople of his generation, winning the heavyweight champion of the world three times. He passed away on Friday night in Phoenix, Arizona, aged 74.

While he was well able to walk the walk, perhaps Ali is even more well known for talking the talk, as his pre-fight boasts and political notions led to his status as one of the most quoted figures the sporting world has ever seen.

His trashtalking led to various rivalries in the ring and outside it, so The Independent have published his ten best one-liners via their Indy100 site. Here is the list they have chosen:

1) "It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am"

Many of Ali's famous lines come from his insatiable belief about being the best at what he does.

2) "I'm the best I just haven't played yet"

This was in response to a question during an interview when he was asked how good his golf game was.

3) "If you sign to fight me, you need speed and endurance but what you need most is to increase your insurance"

He was known for his poetic tendencies, making fun of his opponents with rhymes.

4) "Last night I cut the light off in my bedroom, hit the switch and was in bed before the room was dark"

Maybe his most famous line, demonstrating his belief about he fast he was.

5) "And you're always talking about, 'Muhammad, you're not the same man you were 10 years ago.' Well, I asked your wife, and she told me you're not the same man you was two years ago!"

Ali had this response for sports journalist Howard Cosell when he asked him about his increasing age.

6) "I'm gonna let everybody know that that thing you got on your head is a phony, and it comes from the tail of a pony!"

The rhymes return again, and once again it was directed towards Cosell.

7) "I've seen George Foreman shadow boxing. And the shadow won."

Before a fight with the lean mean grilling machine creator, Ali said this about George Foreman's preparation.

8) "Joe Frazier is so ugly that when he cries, the tears turn around and go down the back of his head"

Ali had a particularly antagonistic relationship with Frazier, who he fought at the Thriller in Manila.

9) "If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologise"

This was in a repsonse to a question about what he would say to anyone who wanted to fight him.

10) "Champions have to have the will and the skill, but the will must be stronger than the skill"

Not only did he poke fun at opponents and his own majesty, Ali also provided many inspirational lines that have been reverberated among sports teama for decades.