Public funeral to be held in Ali's hometown

Tributes from around the world have continued to pour in for boxing legend Muhammad Ali, following his death at the age of 74.

The former fighter died in hospital in Phoenix after suffering from respiratory issues.

It has been confirmed the cause of death was ‘septic shock due to unspecified natural causes’.

A public funeral will be held in Ali’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky next Friday, the family’s spokesman Bob Gunnell confirmed.

“Muhammad’s extraordinary boxing career only encompassed half of his life, the other half was committed to sharing a message of peace and inclusion with the world, following his wishes his funeral will reflect those principles and be a celebration open to everyone,” said Gunnell.

Former US president Bill Clinton said, “He opposed the Vietnam war. He made decisions and he lived with the consequences of them and he never stopped being an American even when he became citizen of the world and he inspired people all over the world.”

Self-proclaimed ‘The Greatest’ and three times world heavyweight champion was known as much for his activism as his boxing brilliance.

Despite being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1984, soon after retiring, Ali’s political influence endured.

Euronews