Former world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier was arrested by police on Friday on charges of assault and domestic violence, the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper reported.

Frazier was led from a house in handcuffs and taken to police headquarters, said the paper's online website quoting Philadelphia police.

It was unclear who the 60-year-old former boxer was accused of assaulting.

Frazier won an Olympic gold medal in 1964 and became world heavyweight champion six years later when he knocked out Jimmy Ellis in New York.

He lost the title to George Foreman in Jamaica in 1973 but Frazier is best remembered for his rivalry with Muhammad Ali.

Frazier won their first fight in 1971 before Ali gained revenge by beating his rival in 1974 and again in 1975.