Rubin "Hurricane" Carter was a formidable middleweight boxing contender in the early 1960s, standing at a relatively modest 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds, yet possessing one of the most impressive muscular builds in the sport. His rugged appearance, characterized by a shaved head, Fu Manchu mustache, and bulging muscles, instilled fear and intimidation in his opponents. Born into a large family of eight siblings, Carter's tumultuous youth was marked by stints in reform schools, where he eventually developed a reputation as a "wild" child.
Carter's life took a dramatic turn when he escaped from Allendale Reformatory in 1953 and enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he credits the military with helping him straighten out. As a paratrooper stationed in Europe, he began fighting for the Army Boxing Team, but his past caught up with him when it was discovered that he had escaped from jail, leading to an additional nine-month sentence upon his return.
Following his release, Carter's struggles with heavy drinking and street fighting landed him in prison for six years after beating a man so severely that the victim was hospitalized. After serving nearly four and a half years, Carter was released and introduced to Carmine Tedeschis, a local construction businessman, by his uncle. Tedeschis took Carter under his wing, providing him with a job and managing his professional boxing career.
Carter turned pro in 1961 and, after just 19 fights (16-3),was rated 10th in the world by June 1963. He went on to score brutal first-round knockouts over Florentino Fernandez and World Welterweight Champion Emile Griffith, earning him a title fight against champion Joey Giardello. Although he lost the 15-round bout, Carter's career continued to fluctuate over the next year before he and another man were arrested and convicted of a triple murder in a highly publicized trial.
After serving nearly three decades in prison, Carter was finally released when a judge ruled that he had been wrongly convicted. During his time behind bars, he wrote a bestselling novel, "The 16th Round," detailing his experiences and struggles.
