Post date: Sep 23, 2012 1:50:15 PM
Former world heavyweight boxing champion Corrie Sanders is shot and fatally wounded in a restaurant robbery in his native South Africa.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (APRIL 21, 2004) (REUTERS) - South African heavyweight boxer Cornelius 'Corrie' Sanders, who beat Wladimir Klitschko to win the WBO world title in 2003, died on Sunday (September 23) after being shot during a restaurant robbery in his native South Africa.
Sanders caused a shock when he inflicted a second-round knockout defeat on Klitschko in Hanover nine years ago.
He gave up the belt later in the year to focus on the WBC title, but lost his challenge in eight rounds to the Ukrainian's older brother Vitali Klitschko in Los Angeles in April 2004.
South African police said on Sunday that three gunmen entered a restaurant in the town of Brits, north west of Pretoria, where 46-year-old Sanders was attending his nephew's birthday celebrations on Saturday evening.
The police said the gunmen opened fire randomly and Sanders was shot in the hand and the stomach; he died later in hospital. No other victims were reported.
The gunmen were said to have fled with a digital camera and a handbag.
Sanders was a southpaw, nicknamed 'The Sniper' and he fought 46 professional bouts, winning 31 by knockout and losing four.
He retired in 2004, came back two years later, but quit again in 2008.
Sanders was a successful businessman and keen golfer after hanging up his gloves.