Smith played Ali in the 2001 movie of the same name, earning an Oscar nomination and becoming a family friend.
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Muhammad Ali began crafting details of his own funeral years ago, insisting on an open and inclusive service, a family spokesman said Tuesday.
The public Louisville funeral will be preceded the day before by a family funeral and an Islamic prayer service at the Freedom Hall where Ali, then Cassius Clay last fought in Louisville against Willi Besmanoff in 1961. Center in Ali’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, from 2 p.m.to 4 p.m.
London-born Lewis, who went on to represent Canada in the Olympics, is one of three boxers along with Ali and Evander Holyfield to have held the heavyweight title three times.
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. Centre, while 14,000 tickets will made be available to the public for the Jenazah.
The charismatic Ali, a dazzling fighter and outspoken civil rights activist who became one of the 20th century’s towering figures, died Friday at age 74 after health problems complicated by a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. The Dalai Lama was invited but sent regrets that he would be unable to attend.
Ali passed away from septic shock on June 3 in Phoenix, Arizona, five days after being hospitalised for a respiratory condition.
California imam and scholar Zaid Shakir will preside over the service at the KFC Yum! “He wanted the memorial service to reflect his life and how he lived”.
He said Ali wanted multiple religions to be represented at the public service, which he said will include ministers from many faiths. That’s why we set Freedom Hall – not just with its historical significance but with the size of Freedom Hall, so that everyone fits in.
Ghana’s Azumah Nelson is considered the “greatest African boxer, ‘ affectionately known as the ‘champ, ‘ Azumah has lauded the qualities of the late Muhammad Ali, who he emphasized was indeed, ‘the world’s greatest” boxer.
Maryum is an author and wrote the book, “I Shook Up the World: The Incredible Life of Muhammad Ali”, in 2004.
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“For almost two years, I worked to transform myself into the man who changed his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali and shook up the world, and that’s really what makes my job so attractive”, he continued.
