To the right of the casket was a portrait shot of the heavyweight boxer, who became an adopted son of Philadelphia after moving north from South Carolina as a teenager.
His signature cowboy hat sat atop the casket, which was adorned by bouquets of flowers and a folded American flag.
The advertisement for his iconic 1971 victory over longtime adversary Muhammad Ali, billed "The Fight of the Century," stood to the left.
A nod to boxing's storied past, the poster told fans there would be "No home TV" for the fight, and the only way to witness "The Greatest Event in Sports History" was on closed-circuit television.
An estimated 300 million tuned in as Frazier knocked down Ali in the final round before dealing Ali his first career loss by a unanimous decision.
After paying his respects to Frazier shortly after 2 p.m., Mayor Nutter recalled listening on the radio to Frazier's win while he was in the eighth grade.
"I certainly had an appreciation for Muhammad Ali, but Joe Frazier was my guy," Nutter said. "I'll never forget the announcer when Frazier knocked Ali down. . . . These were more than matches; these were great contests."
Nutter said the city is working with Frazier's family to build a "long-lasting memorial." He said it wasn't the appropriate time to discuss specifics or whether the memorial would be a statue, although he said Frazier certainly is worthy.
"When the appropriate time comes, I'll be in a better position to talk about what I think - both as a fan and as a leader of this city - how we should recognize someone who gave so much. Not just to sport, but was a good and decent human being and a great representative for this city."
