Carl "Bobo" Olson, former world middleweight champion, has died at the age of 73.

The Hawaiian boxer, famed for his four bouts with ring legend Sugar Ray Robinson, passed away in a Honolulu hospital after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

During a competitive career, he compiled a record of 99 wins,16 defeats and-two draws, with 49 of his wins coming by early finish.

He got his simple nickname from his sister when he was a boy.

He began fighting professionally at age 16 and won 19 fights before he turned 18 and could legally box on the mainland circuit.

He won the vacant world middleweight championship by defeating Randy Turpin of England in October, 1953 in a 15-round fight at New York's Madison Square Garden.

That performance earned him the accolade of Fighter of the Year Ring Magazine.

Olson held the title for two years, losing it in 1955 to Robinson, a man he could never beat

He did, however, record victories over Joey Maxim and Kid Gavilan.

Like those two, he was eventually elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

After he left boxing, Olson worked as recreational director for the Operating Engineers Local Union in San Francisco and in public relations for the Teamsters before retiring to Honolulu.