Floyd Patterson, the former two-time heavyweight champion and former chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, died in his home in New Paltz, New York on thursday at the age of 71. In recent years, he had suffered from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and prostate cancer.

Patterson was born in Brooklyn and went on to win the New York Golden Gloves championship (in 1951 & 1952) and then the Olympic gold medal in the 165-pound class in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Trained by the legendary Cus D’Amato, Patterson became the youngest man to win the heavyweight championship of the world in 1956 at age 21. He was also the first two-time Heavyweight champion.

Patterson was a very fast heavyweight and possessed a dynamite left hook. He will always be remembered as a gentleman and a champion with a big heart both in and out of the ring.