Louisville prepares for Muhammad Ali’s funeral

An interfaith memorial service will be held at the 20,000 capacity KFC Yum!

“In addition to the funeral, there will be a procession throughout Louisville to allow the general public to pay their last respect to the ‘Greatest of All Time, ‘” the Ali Center website states.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be among the speakers Friday alongside former President Bill Clinton, actor Bill Crystal, broadcaster Bryant Gumbel, Ali’s wife, Lonnie, and others, according to Gunnell. Center will be available Wednesday starting at 10 a.m.

Members of his family will attend a private family funeral before joining members of the public for the Jenazah – also a ticket event – at the Freedom Hall in Louisville.

It is where Ali made his professional debut with a victory over Tunney Hunsaker in 1960 – and also where fought his last boxing match in the town, defeating Willi Besmanoff in November 1961.

Laila Ali says she’ll miss her legendary father deeply, but doesn’t feel alone in her grief because “the whole world is sad”.

California imam and scholar Zaid Shakir will preside over the service, family spokesman Bob Gunnell said.

Ali’s funeral procession will travel along the street named for him, Muhammad Ali Boulevard, and past his boyhood home before heading to Cave Hill Cemetery, where he will be buried. “The route includes locations that were historically important to Muhammad”.

A spokesman said his death was from “septic shock due to unspecified natural causes”.

Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila gave an emotional interview Monday with ABC’s “Good Morning America” about her recently deceased father.

Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to President Barack Obama, also will read a statement from the President.

The legacy of Muhammad Ali will most certainly continue to live on throughout the ages as being one of the most influential athletes to ever live. “Like everyone else on the planet, Michelle and I mourn his passing”.