The body of boxing legend Muhammad Ali arrived at his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, on Sunday ahead of a public funeral procession later this week.

His body was brought to Louisville by plane from Arizona, where the 74-year-old passed away on Friday from natural causes.

His funeral has been scheduled for June 11 and is expected to draw in a huge crowd of friends, family and fans of various faiths from all over the world.

Locals have already started turning up at the funeral home where his body is being kept to pay their respects to the three-time heavyweight champion.

The procession has been organised to "allow anyone that is there from the world to say goodbye," family spokesman Bob Gunnell told reporters.

Former US president Bill Clinton said he will be among those attending the service on Friday.

Ali's daughter Hana Ali wrote on Twitter: "Our hearts are literally hurting. But we are happy daddy is free now."

In an interesting coincidence, around 15,000 bees also turned up and settled on a tree near a mural dedicated to the boxer that features one of Ali's best-known quotes: "Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee."