Thousands are bidding a final farewell to legendary boxer Muhammad Ali in 19-mile-long funeral procession and service in the Kentucky town where he once shadowboxed and dreamed of greatness.
Actor Will Smith and ex-boxers Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis are among the pallbearers who placed Ali’s coffin in the black hearse for the procession that began around 10.35am ET, about 65 minutes after the scheduled start time.
The procession started at his boyhood home and then traveled along the boulevard that bears his name and the museum that stands as a lasting tribute to his boxing triumphs and his humanitarian causes outside the ring.
Mourners standing alongside the procession route could be heard chanting ‘Ali’ or ‘The champ is here’ while waving and clapping at the vehicle carrying his body.
Some even ran into the street to touch the hearse, while others jogged alongside of it for a short period of time. Fans of the Kentucky native could be seen tossing flowers at the hearse throughout the procession.
Ali’s nine children, his wife, two of his ex-wives and other family members joined the funeral procession in a 17-car motorcade that ended around 1pm ET at Cave Hill cemetery.
Louisville is accustomed to being in the limelight each May when the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs captures the world’s attention.
But the send-off for the three-time heavyweight champion and global advocate for social justice looms as one of the city’s most historic events.
This is the second day of memorial ceremonies for Ali, who died last Friday age 74 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, as yesterday more than 14,000 mourners joined the family for the traditional Muslim prayer service at Kentucky’s Freedom Hall to celebrate the sporting legend’s extraordinary life.
‘We’ve all been dreading the passing of The Champ, but at the same time we knew ultimately it would come,’ Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said.
‘It was selfish for us to think that we could hold on to him forever. Our job now, as a city, is to send him off with the class and dignity and respect that he deserves.’
The faithful traveled from all over the world to pay their respects. Thousands more lined the procession route Friday to wave a final goodbye to the city’s favorite son.
The motorcade started at the funeral home and headed north onto the interstate. It then paused briefly to overlook the Muhammad Ali Center in the heart of downtown.
The cars headed west onto Muhammad Ali Boulevard, passed the Kentucky Center for African-American Heritage and visited his childhood home on Grand Avenue.
It then turned toward his final resting place at the Cave Hill Cemetery where his family and closest friends gathered for a private burial.
At 3pm, thousands will gather at the KFC Yum! Center for a final send-off befitting The Greatest.
The service will feature a eulogy by former President Bill Clinton, a longtime friend, and remarks by comedian Billy Crystal, television journalist Bryant Gumbel and the champ’s wife, Lonnie.
The king of Jordan and president of Turkey were scheduled to attend. But Turkey’s President has cut short his trip to the US and will not attend the funeral of boxer Muhammad Ali, his office said Friday, amid reports of a rift with the ceremony’s organizers.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan had specially flown to Louisville in the southern US state of Kentucky to say farewell to Ali, who the Turkish president is known to have admired hugely as a committed Muslim and civil rights campaigner.
Erdogan on Thursday attended a prayer ceremony for Ali and had been due to attend the funeral on Friday along with several other high profile political leaders.
But the president’s office said that Erdogan left the United States for Turkey late Thursday after attending the prayer ceremony and joining a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner with the US diaspora of Meskhetian Turks who were expelled from their homeland by Stalin in the 1940s.
Erdogan and King Abdullah II of Jordan were scheduled to speak at the champion boxer’s service on Friday, but was cut due to lack of program space.
Actor Will Smith and ex-boxers Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis will be among the pallbearers at this service as well.
In addition, other pallbearers include Jerry Ellis – the brother of Jimmy Ellis, Ali’s former sparring partner and fellow world heavyweight champion – and Ali’s cousins John Grady and Jan Wadell, nephew Ibn Ali, former brother-in-law Komawi Ali and family friend John Ramsey.
Tyson took a red-eye flight from Las Vegas to be in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, according to Ali family spokesman Bob Gunnell.
Gunnell said Tyson wasn’t sure whether he would attend the service because of an earlier commitment.
He said Tyson was highly emotional when he learned of Ali’s death and wasn’t sure whether he could handle the emotions of Ali’s memorial.
President Barack Obama was unable to make the trip because his daughter, Malia, is graduating from high school. – Agencies
