Corrie Sanders boxer

Cornelius Johannes "Corrie" Sanders (7 January 1966 – 23 September 2012) was a South African professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2008. He won the WBO heavyweight title in 2003 after knocking out Wladimir Klitschko in two rounds, which was considered one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight boxing history; The Ring magazine named it the Upset of the Year. In 2004, having vacated the WBO title, Sanders faced Wladimir's brother Vitali Klitschko in an unsuccessful but valiant challenge for the vacant WBC and Ring heavyweight titles. He also held the WBU heavyweight title from 1997 until 2000. Sanders' other notable achievements include holding the South Africa national heavyweight title in 1991, defeating former cruiserweight champions Carlos de León and Bobby Czyz by first round and second-round knockout respectively, and losing in a close slugfest fight with future unified and two-time world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman (Rahman and Sanders both knocked each other down during the bout, and Sanders was ahead on the judges' scorecards prior to the stoppage).Nicknamed The Sniper, Sanders was a southpaw with a long reach, and was known for carrying formidable knockout power in his straight left hand. Wladimir Klitschko labeled Sanders the hardest puncher he ever faced in a December 2014 interview with Ring magazine, saying: "I’ve been in boxing for 25 years and I never fought anybody in this game that punched like Corrie Sanders." Hasim Rahman said of Sanders following their match: "I've never been hit that hard in my life."He died in a hospital in the early hours of 23 September 2012 after being shot during an armed robbery.Sanders grew up in Brits, South Africa, and was of Afrikaner descent. Having been introduced to boxing by his uncle, Sanders finished his amateur career in the late 1980s with 180 wins and 11 losses.