Legra had been suffering from dementia and living at a nursing home for several years in Madrid, Spain.

"The passing of Jose Legra closes one of the greatest chapters in the history of boxing," WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told The Ring.

"Legra left Cuba with legends of the ring looking for opportunities in other countries and while Jose "Mantequilla" Nápoles, Ultiminio Ramos and Kid Gavilan campaigned in Mexico, Legra found home in Spain. The Cuban legend chapter is now closed for eternity. May he rest in peace."

Legra was born in Baracoa, Cuba, on April 19, 1943. He first took up boxing at 12 and turned professional five years later in his homeland.

When Fidel Castro banned professional boxing in 1962, Legra had to look elsewhere to continue his journey. He fought initially in Mexico before moving to Spain, where he would live the rest of his life.

By the fall of 1967, 24 and armed with over 100 professional fights, Legra claimed the European featherweight title with a third-round stoppage of Yves Desmarets.

The following summer, Legra headed to Wales and stopped local hero Howard Winstone in five rounds to become WBC champion.

It was a short reign, and the Cuban lost the title in his first defense in controversial fashion against Johnny Famechon over 15 rounds in January 1969.

Legra, nicknamed "Pocket Cassius Clay" due to stylistic similarities between him and Muhammad Ali, lost a 10-round decision to the outstanding Mexican Vicente Saldivar in July that year.

He regrouped in Spain with 11 victories in 14 months, regaining his European title with a 15-round points win over Jimmy Revie in January 1971. More fights and title defenses followed, before heading back to Mexico where he annexed his old WBC title from Clemente Sanchez with a 10th-round stoppage in December 1972.

Again, he would lose it in his first defense with a 15-round majority decision nod going the way of Brazil's legendary Eder Jofre in May 1973.

He closed out his career later that year when accepting an ill-advised fight up in weight against the rising Alexis Arguello, who stopped him with a first-round finish.

His professional record ended 129-11-4 with 49 knockouts.

In retirement, Legra had a shoe business in Alicante and another with properties on the Canary Islands. He worked in TV during the 1990s, while enjoying himself with parties and dancing. Unmarried, he is survived by two nieces.