A longtime associate and caregiver has told the Associated Press that former boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter died earlier today (Sunday) at age 76.

Cause of death had yet to be released, but Carter had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

During his career, Carter went 27-12-1 with 19 knockouts. Although never a world champion, Carter did fight for a middleweight title in December 1964. He lost in that match to Joey Giardello in a unanimous decision.

Carter’s boxing career ended when he was sentenced to prison in 1966 for three murders in Paterson, New Jersey. He was freed in 1985 when his convictions were set aside after years of appeals and public advocacy. His ordeal and alleged racial motivations behind it were publicized in Bob Dylan’s 1975 song “Hurricane” and the 1999 film “The Hurricane” starring Denzel Washington.

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