(Photo: Google Images)
BBC News is reporting President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and King Abdullah of Jordan are among the dignitaries scheduled to speak at Muhammad Ali’s funeral and jenazah — or Muslim funeral prayer service on Friday, a family spokesman says.
Thousands of people are expected to join the funeral in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Former US President Bill Clinton and actor Billy Crystal are also set to speak.
Ali died last Friday at the age of 74 in hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. A spokesman said his death was from “septic shock due to unspecified natural causes”. The the three-time world heavyweight champion had been suffering from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson’s disease.
California imam and scholar Zaid Shakir will preside over the service, family spokesman Bob Gunnell said. Sportscaster Bryant Gumbel, other religious leaders of various faiths, his daughter Mayum and wife Lonnie are also expected to speak.
Ali’s funeral will take place at a large concert and sports arena, the KFC Yum! Center at 2 p.m. (CT) The service will be open to the public. It will also be streamed live on the Ali Center website.
Read more at BBC News. Read more about the legendary boxer and humanitarian at The Burton Wire.
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