Boxing legend Muhammad Ali will be remembered on Thursday with a funeral service that will be open to the public.

His Final Wishes

Ali, who passed away on June 3, wanted his funeral service to be public. Nearly 15,000 people were able to obtain tickets for the ceremony that will be broadcast live on numerous broadcast outlets.

Starting at 2 p.m. ET from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, public figures such as former President Bill Clinton, journalist Bryant Gumbel and comedian Billy Crystal will deliver remarks about Ali. Actor Will Smith, who portrayed Ali in his biopic, will also be in attendance.

At 9 a.m., however, a procession will begin through Louisville and pass along several locations such as Muhammad Ali Boulevard, the Ali Center, his childhood home and high school.

A private ceremony will also be held at the Cave Hill Cemetery.

How to Watch

CNN, ESPN and TVOne will broadcast the public funeral service -- although cable subscription authentication may be required for online viewers. At CBS News, anchor Scott Pelley will lead their coverage, which can be viewed online on CBSN. NBC News will have Lestor Holt host special coverage from New York for NBC, while MSNBC will feature Brian Williams lead their live coverage. Fox News will reportedly have Shepard Smith lead its cable coverage.

"The magnitude of Friday's procession and memorial service for Muhammad Ali warrants a coverage plan commensurate with the stature of a man known as 'The Greatest'," said ESPN Vice President and Managing Editor, Newsgathering and Reporting Craig Bengtson in a statement about their programming. "We have an extensive news group, covering all platforms, that has spent many hours, over many days, collaborating on our week-long content. It's what we do. And, we take tremendous pride in putting Ali's life into proper context for fans."

A live stream will also be available through the Ali Center.

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