‘It was selfish to think that we could hold on to him forever’

Muhammad Ali has made his final journey through his home town as thousands of mourners along the route pumped their fists and chanted “Ali! Ali!” for the former heavyweight champion of the world known simply as ‘The Greatest’.

His cherry-red coffin, draped in an Islamic tapestry, was loaded into a hearse as a group of pallbearers that included former boxers Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis and actor Will Smith left the funeral home in double file.

Ali’s nine children, wife, two ex-wives and other family members joined the funeral procession.