BOSTON — Harry Mangurian Jr., a former owner of the Boston Celtics and a renowned horse breeder, died at age 82.

The funeral home handling his arrangements said Mangurian died of leukemia in Florida after an eight-month battle with the disease.

Mangurian owned the Celtics from 1979-83, a tenure that included a 1981 championship and the signings of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, the original "Big Three" of team lore.

Mangurian was successful at numerous business ventures, including his start as owner of a family-run furniture store and as a breeder of champion horses on a 1,100-acre thoroughbred farm in Ocala, Fla.

Mangurian was born in Rochester, N.Y.