Wednesday 8 June 2016 00:23, UK
Lennox Lewis said he is "humbled and honoured" after it was revealed he will be a pallbearer at Muhammad Ali's funeral.
The funeral is to be held in Ali's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, at 2pm local time (7pm BST) on Friday, with Hollywood star Will Smith, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of the three-time world heavyweight champion in the 2001 film of his life, also acting as a pallbearer.
Lewis, who is the last undisputed world heavyweight champion, said Ali was "like a father" to him and also described him as his hero.
He said: "I am humbled, and honoured, beyond words to help see my hero, Muhammad Ali, off to his final resting place.
"Ali has always been an enormous inspiration to me, not only in my boxing career, but also in life. His journey began 74 years ago, and in that time, he not only transformed the world of sport, he used sport to transform the world.
"It's my extreme pleasure, and complete honour, to be asked to help him complete the final steps of his life journey."
Ali died in Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 74 on Friday evening local time having been admitted to hospital earlier in the week with a respiratory condition. He suffered with Parkinson's disease for 32 years.
Jerry Ellis - the brother of Jimmy Ellis, Ali's former sparring partner and fellow world heavyweight champion - will also be a pallbearer with Ali's cousins John Grady and Jan Wadell, nephew Ibn Ali, former brother-in-law Komawi Ali and family friend John Ramsey the others.
