Denzel Washington has paid tribute to boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter following his death from cancer on Sunday.
Washington, who played Carter in the 1999 film The Hurricane, released a statement saying: "God bless Rubin Carter and his tireless fight to ensure justice for all."
Carter was wrongfully convicted of three 1966 murders in New Jersey and spent 19 years in prison before being exonerated in 1985. His boxing career was set to take off before those events and his story also inspired Bob Dylan's song The Hurricane.
At the 2000 Golden Globes, Washington brought Carter on stage to accept the Best Actor award with him, saying: "This man right here is love. He's all love. He lost about 7,300 days of his life, and he's love. He's all love."
Some sport stars took to Twitter to pay their respects:
We a lost a great man today, Rubin "hurricane" Carter, the boxer who was wrongfully accused and became a symbol for racial injustice. RIP
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) April 20, 2014Rest in peace Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. The injustice put upon u can never be undone but it must also never be forgotten. #riphurricane
— Lennox Lewis (@LennoxLewis) April 20, 2014Rubin "Hurricane" Carter RIP
— Barry McGuigan (@ClonesCyclone) April 20, 2014RIP Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (May 6, 1937 – April 20, 2014) pic.twitter.com/PQ8tGkOL1B
— Evander Holyfield (@holyfield) April 20, 2014