CAPE TOWN, South Africa: Corrie Sanders, the South African southpaw who knocked out Wladimir Klitschko in one of the great upsets in heavyweight boxing, has died after being shot by robbers at a restaurant during a family celebration.
The former WBO and WBU champion was 46.
Sanders was shot in the hand and stomach at a family member’s 21st birthday gathering at the restaurant in Brits, in South Africa’s North West province, on Saturday night, police said. He died in a hospital in the capital city Pretoria in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“It’s very sad,” Sanders’ former trainer Harold Volbrecht told a South African radio station. “My heart is broken. It’s just terrible. I can’t believe it happened.”
Police Brig. Thulani Ngubane said three armed men entered the restaurant with the apparent intention to rob it and shot randomly, hitting Sanders. No other injuries were reported. The robbers took a cellphone and a bag from customers, Ngubane said.
No arrests had been made but a murder investigation has been opened.
Renowned for his impressive hand speed, the 6-foot-4 (1.93-meter) Sanders was one of South Africa’s most successful and popular fighters after a near 20-year professional career that included the South African, WBU and WBO heavyweight title belts.
He retired in 2008 with a 42-4 record, with 31 knockouts, but was remembered for the shock second-round knockout of Klitschko in Germany in 2003 that earned him the WBO title and respect across the world as a wily, fast and clever fighter as well as a powerful puncher.
He then lost to Wladimir’s older brother Vitali for the vacant WBC title the following year, Vitali’s first fight for the title he still holds. Sanders had earlier relinquished his WBU crown in a seventh-round stoppage by Hasim Rahman after being ahead in their fight in 2000.
South African sports figures, television personalities and entertainers all paid tribute yesterdat to the popular Sanders, who also was a single handicap golfer.
“Shocking news about Corrie Sanders’ death, gonna miss u Corras,” South Africa limited-overs cricket captain A.B. de Villiers posted on Twitter from the World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka.
South African rugby player Morne Steyn wrote: “All the best for Corrie Sanders family and friends! We lost one of SA’s legends! God Bless!“
Olympic swimming champion Cameron van der Burgh added: “RIP Corrie. A champion of the World.”
Born in Pretoria, Sanders began his professional boxing career in 1989 with a first-round TKO of King Kong Dyubele. Eighteen of the fast-starting Sanders’ 31 career knockouts came in the first round.
He claimed the South African heavyweight title in 1991, but his demolition of Wladimir Klitschko in Hanover in 2003 — when he knocked the champion down twice in the first round — was by far his best and most famous fight.
It is one of only three losses for the Ukrainian and current WBO champion. Sanders only agreed to the fight at short notice, was a 40-1 underdog and the result was voted as the upset of the year by Ring Magazine.
Sanders hung up his gloves in 2008 after being knocked out by Osborne Machimana for the South African heavyweight title — ironically in the first round.
Former heavyweight champ Sanders shot dead
Former heavyweight champ Sanders shot dead
Ton-up Farhan helps Pakistan seal Super Eight spot with Namibia rout
- It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh
COLOMBO: Sahibzada Farhan hit a magnificent unbeaten century to help Pakistan seal the final Super Eight berth at the T20 World Cup with a thumping 102-run win over Namibia in Colombo on Wednesday.
Farhan scored 100 not out off 58 balls with four sixes and 10 fours as Pakistan posted 199-3 before they routed Namibia for 97 in 17.3 overs.
Pakistan’s victory took them to six points from four games in Group A and eliminated the United States, who finished with four points.
India also have six points and play the Netherlands in the group’s final game later Wednesday.
The defending champions India, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies will play each other in the Super eights Group 1, hosted in India.
Pakistan join New Zealand, England and co-hosts Sri Lanka in Group 2, hosted in Sri Lanka.
After a morale-shattering 61-run defeat against India, Pakistan needed a victory to avoid an early exit, which was achieved with ease as spinners Usman Tariq (4-16) and Shadab Khan (3-19) tore through the Namibia batting.
Louren Steenkamp scored 23 while Alexander Busing-Volschenk was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 20.
‘Complete performance’
Skipper Salman Agha praised a clinical show.
“It is a complete performance,” said a relieved Agha.
“We batted well and Farhan anchored the innings. He has been batting well for a while and I am happy that he got his hundred.
“With the ball we were lethal.”
Namibian skipper Gerhard Erasmus admitted Pakistan’s spin bowlers were too hot to handle.
“It (spin) is a special skill to have, to turn the ball both ways like they do,” said Erasmus.
“I think that’s one of the things we’ll definitely take home and look to improve on.”
Farhan earlier blasted a six and a four off pace bowler Jack Brassell to enter the 90s before taking a single off Gerhard Erasmus to complete his hundred in the final over.
It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh.
Shadab Khan, promoted to No. 5 with Babar Azam left out, hit three sixes and a four in his 36 not out off 22 balls as Pakistan smashed 42 from the last three overs.
Farhan put on 40 for the opening wicket with Saim Ayub (14) before consolidating the innings during a 67-run second wicket stand with captain Salman Agha (38).
Pakistan also left out pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi after a poor show in the first three matches, including conceding 31 in two overs in the defeat against India on Sunday.
Farhan’s ton means this is the first T20 World Cup in which three centuries have been scored.
He followed Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka, who scored a hundred against Australia on Monday, and Canada’s Yuvraj Sama who reached three figures against New Zealand on Tuesday.
