Stockholm - Former world heavyweight boxing champion Ingemar Johansson, who famously beat Floyd Patterson for the title in 1959, has died, news reports said on Saturday. He was 76.

The reports said that Johansson died on Friday in a nursing home in the small Swedish town of Onsala. His daughter Maria Gregner was quoted as saying that he died peacefully. Johansson was suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia in the past years.

Johansson gained fame when he upset the title holder Patterson on June 26, 1959, in New York, flooring the American seven times in the third round before the umpire stopped the fight at Yankee Stadium.

Patterson then became the first boxer to regain the heavyweight title 12 months later year when he took five rounds to beat Johansson in their second meeting. Patterson also won their third title fight in 1961 by knockout.

Johansson retired from boxing in 1963 with 26 wins and two defeats. (dpa)