Louisville Pays Tribute to Hometown Hero Muhammad Ali

Residents in Muhammad Ali's birthplace of Louisville, Kentucky, are paying tribute Saturday to the late boxing legend, including one resident who told ABC News, "he represents that greatness came from Louisville."

Flowers were filling Louisville's Muhammad Ali Center, a museum and cultural center built as a tribute to the champion boxer.

Louisville resident Candice Nelson who visited the memorial this morning said she was surprised to see the amount of media and support flowing into the town.

"One person can impact an entire world and it almost gives me goosebumps to know that through his actions how he gave back," Nelson said. "It's pretty powerful being here right now."

"I can't wait to see how much support the town is going to give," Nelson said.

"He represents that greatness came from Louisville," Louisville resident Shani Jinaki told ABC News. "It makes me want to change my life and how I'm living to be more bold."

Alvin Mason, an Army recruiting instructor from Augusta, Georgia, told ABC News, "I was thinking about his family and how tough it must be to get the call to come now, it won't be long before he takes his last breath, I just couldn't imagine.

"I said a little prayer for the family that they could find peace and know that he is resting in a better place and there is no more pain," Mason said.

"He leaves his legacy through his children, but also through people he doesn't know like me," Mason said. "He certainly touched my life in a great way. I'm very appreciative of his family for sharing him with us and with the world."

Ali, who died Friday in Arizona at 74, will be buried in Louisville, according to a family spokesman.

At a ceremony at the city's Metro Hall, Mayor Greg Fischer said flags on government buildings would remain at half-staff until Ali has been laid to rest.

"The values of hard work, conviction and compassion that Muhammad Ali developed while growing up in Louisville helped him become a global icon," Fischer said in a statement.

"As a boxer, he became 'The Greatest,' though his most lasting victories happened outside the ring. Muhammad leveraged his fame as a platform to promote peace, justice and humanitarian efforts around the world, while always keeping strong ties to his hometown."

He continued, "Today, Muhammad Ali's fellow Louisvillians join the billions whose lives he touched worldwide in mourning his passing, celebrating his legacy, and committing to continue his fight to spread love and hope."