Thousands gather for funeral of Muhammad Ali – Video

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Thousands gather for funeral of Muhammad Ali – Video

11:14 CAT | 10 Jun 2016

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in the hometown of Muhammad Ali for the boxing legend’s funeral and daylong memorial, to be attended by world leaders including former US president Bill Clinton and the king of Jordan.

Ali’s remains was buried during a private ceremony at Louisville’s Cave Hill Cemetery on Friday, following a motorcade passing through several city landmarks, as well as his childhood home.

People lining the streets threw flowers, and shouted, “Ali! Ali!”, as the hearse carrying his body pulled out of the funeral home. Others carried banners and photos of Ali.

Ali died last week at the age of 74.

Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo, reporting from outside Ali’s childhood home, said hundreds of people waited outside their houses to see the hearse carrying the boxing champion’s body pass by his old neighbourhood.

Lawrence Montgomery, a former neighbour of Ali, told Al Jazeera that he has “mixed emotions”, knowing that Ali, who was suffering from the debilitating Parkinson’s disease for decades, is no longer in pain.

“He was a marvellous young man. Very cordial and playful,” Montgomery said, recalling that as a child Ali already wanted to be a boxer.

The funeral procession, which went down Muhammad Ali Boulevard, ended with a private burial ceremony at Cave Hill Cemetery before a public memorial service at a sports arena.

Actor Will Smith, who played the three-time heavyweight world champion in the 2001 film “Ali”, helped carry the coffin, along with former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and family members.

Clinton, actor Billy Crystal and broadcaster Bryant Gumbel were among those set to give eulogies at the stadium memorial service.

US President Barack Obama is not attending because of his daughter’s high school graduation, but Valerie Jarrett, one of his closest aides, is to read a letter on his behalf.

King Abdullah II of Jordan, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and former Ali opponents George Foreman and Larry Holmes were also expected to be in attendance on Friday.

Ali died on June 3 at his home in Arizona after suffering for some 30 years from Parkinson’s disease, which made it difficult for him to speak in recent decades.

A Muslim prayer service in Louisville on Thursday drew thousands of mourners, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ali joined the Nation of Islam sect in 1964 – changing his name from Cassius Clay – but later left the group to practise orthodox Islam.