The guy is still the greatest show on earth. He's one of the most clever men, a comedian. His life has been such a serious event but he's never taken himself too seriously.
When I hear his name I just smile. Muhammad always knew he was a good fighter. He'd always called himself The Greatest but when he pulled off that win against me in Africa he knew that would add something to his life. From then on he realised he could do anything and I think that will be the greatest victory in his mind forever.
That gave him the confirmation that he needed that he was The Greatest.
Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali (right) passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning aged 74
One of Ali's most iconic bouts was his eighth-round knockout of heavyweight rival George Foreman in 1974
The pair's memorable bout in Zaire was billed as the 'Rumble in the Jungle'
It was the most horrible time in my life when it occurred but as the years have gone by I realised that it had married me to a special event and a special man and I'm really proud I was in that match with him.
I've decided not to allow any of the memories to fade, from the first round until the eighth when he caught me with that right hand. It was a one-two combination and I tried to catch myself and hold my balance but I hit the floor. I will never forget that eighth round but I'm happy. I used to look back at it with hate and disgust, but now it's part of my whole being.
I gave him everything I had in the first and second round looking for the knockout, but no one had ever knocked that guy out. In the fifth, sixth round I even tried again when I was getting winded. I kept seeking the knockout and then, when he hit me with the one-two, it was really a nice punch. I ran into it more than anything and it was a stunning shot.
That fight had an effect on the world. Between 1977 and 1987 I was preaching in my church and did not watch any television, I was a religious recluse, but Muhammad and I stayed in touch on the phone.
I used to think boxing played a part with his condition but after visiting him a few times I realised this Parkinson's was greater than any one punch that anyone could put on him. He could have withstood the boxing punishment but when he met up with Mr Parkinson it was just something that he could not bob and weave out of.
Joe Frazier (left), Ali (centre) and George Foreman were at the forefront of a golden heavyweight boxing period
When I see him now I see a hero. I adore him. He can't move around the way he used to and sometimes I would hope I could run up on him and say 'hey do that Ali shuffle for me.'
I first saw him as a teenager on television and I thought, 'what a great looking guy' and he even called himself pretty. He made a whole world look in the mirror and say, 'I'm pretty. I'm good looking.' He changed the world.
I don't feel sorry for him, I'm proud of him. I used to see a lot of heroes from World War Two and you'd be sitting there having a joke with them and then they would take their shirt off and show you an arm that they had lost, or they'd show you a wooden leg or plastic eye after they'd lost theirs in the war.
You didn't feel sorry for them, you'd feel proud that they'd give you some time. Muhammad Ali is still beautiful to me. This guy is a treasure. He's a universal treasure. I'm just happy I have a life aligned with his.
Foreman became one of Ali's closest friends after losing to him in the famous heavyweight clash
