The Latest: Boxing promoter: Ali was the mouth that roared

The Hall of Fame boxing promoter says Ali put into words what most African-Americans wanted to say but didn't have the courage to do so.

"When people realized he was a man of his conviction and was willing to sacrifice everything, the atmosphere changed," Arum says.

President Barack Obama is remembering Muhammad Ali as the rare figure who's capable of capturing the world's imagination by being open, funny, generous and courageous.

Obama shows viewers two items he keeps as reminders of the three-time heavyweight boxing champion: the picture book "GOAT (Greatest of All Time) - A Tribute to Muhammad Ali" and a pair of Ali's boxing gloves that the champ autographed.

Ali was at Madison Square Garden while the NYU basketball team was practicing for a game that night.

A camera on his shoulder, Kalinsky followed Ali into the gym, where he was stopped by trainer Angelo Dundee.

The Hall of Fame boxing promoter says that ranking Ali in the top 10 among influential people — in all walks of life, not just sports — is "too conservative."

Beginning with "SportsCenter" at 7 a.m. EDT, ESPN's flagship channel will air the planned 19-mile procession carrying Ali's body through the streets of Louisville, Kentucky, the boxing champion's hometown, and the ensuing interfaith memorial service at the KFC Yum!

The Rev. Jesse Jackson says Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan attended the Muslim prayer service for Muhammad Ali.

Thursday's service was attended by Ali's family and thousands of Muslims and fans of the boxing champion, who died last Friday at the age of 74.

"The Nation of Islam played a big role in the early religious disciplines in Muhammad Ali — his sense of sacrifice, his values," Jackson said.

A leading Muslim scholar has offered condolences to Muhammad Ali's family at a prayer service for the boxing great, saying his death has taken something away "from the sweetness of life itself."

Sherman Jackson says Ali belonged to everyone but was "an unapologetic fighter in the cause of black people in America — and not just the classes among black folks, but even more especially the masses."

Jackson says Ali "did more to normalize Islam in this country than perhaps any other Muslim in the history of the United States," exceeding the achievements of scholars and clerics because he demonstrated the religion's generosity and power.

In an introductory prayer, Shakir said: Oh God, Almighty God, don't deprive us of his reward, don't cast us into tribulation after his departure.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson says Muhammad Ali set an example for athletes to "use the high platform of championships" to make a difference beyond sports.

The civil rights leader said Ali will be remembered not only as a boxing champion but also as a human rights activist.

Former boxer Sugar Ray Leonard is attending a Muslim prayer service in Louisville for his friend, Muhammad Ali, whom he called "a man of great character and courage."

Some wore traditional Islamic attire, others blue jeans or business suits.

A fellow Muslim who shares the same name traveled from Bangladesh to honor the boxing great, who stayed at his home during a visit in the 1970s.

The other Ali from Bangladesh says The Greatest stayed at his home in 1978 and always referred to him as his twin brother.

Organizers say the service, or Jenazah prayer, is open to all, but meant especially as a chance for Muslims to say goodbye to a man considered a hero of the faith.

Ali famously joined the Nation of Islam, the black separatist religious movement, as a young athlete, then embraced mainstream Islam years later, becoming a global representative of the faith and an inspiration to other Muslims.