Cornelius Johannes Sanders was a South African professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2008.
22 Facts About Corrie Sanders
2.
Corrie Sanders 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.
3.
In 2004, having vacated the WBO title, Corrie Sanders faced Wladimir's brother Vitali Klitschko in an unsuccessful challenge for the vacant WBC and Ring heavyweight titles.
4.
Corrie Sanders held the WBU heavyweight title from 1997 until 2000 and the South Africa national heavyweight title in 1991.
5.
Corrie Sanders died in a hospital in the early hours of 23 September 2012 after being shot during an armed robbery.
6.
Corrie Sanders had two siblings and was of Afrikaner descent.
7.
Corrie Sanders made his professional debut in 1989 with a first-round knockout of King Kong Dyubele on 2 April 1989.
8.
Corrie Sanders went on to win his next 22 bouts, 14 by knockout.
9.
Corrie Sanders fought 12 more times over the next five years, including a first-round knockout over former world cruiserweight champion Carlos De Leon and a second-round knockout over another former world champion, Bobby Czyz.
10.
Corrie Sanders lost by seventh-round stoppage in a slugfest fight with future unified and two-time world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman.
11.
On 8 March 2003, Corrie Sanders provided a stunning upset in Hanover, Germany, by dropping Klitschko four times to win the WBO belt by a second-round knockout.
12.
Corrie Sanders initially sought a unification bout with WBA heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr.
13.
Corrie Sanders then vacated the WBO title to sign a contract to fight for the vacant WBC belt.
14.
Corrie Sanders was stopped by Vitali in the eighth round of the fight in the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
15.
Eight months later, Corrie Sanders knocked out Alexei Varakin in the second round of a contest in Soelden, Austria in December 2004.
16.
Corrie Sanders returned to action after two years in November 2006 to score a second round stoppage win over the Australian heavyweight champion Colin Wilson at the Convention Centre in Mafikeng.
17.
Corrie Sanders had signed with Golden Gloves Promotions, and won another bout in South Africa against Brazilian Daniel Bispo in May 2007.
18.
Corrie Sanders's last bout, of the South African heavyweight title, was a loss to Osborne Machimana, a bout he took despite Sanders being injured beforehand.
19.
On 22 September 2012, Corrie Sanders was fatally shot in an armed robbery at a restaurant called Thatch Haven in Brits, South Africa, where a function was being held for his nephew's 21st birthday.
20.
Corrie Sanders had been near the entrance of the restaurant talking to his 15-year-old daughter Marinique and a cousin when three robbers entered firing their guns.
21.
Corrie Sanders had used his body to shield his daughter from oncoming bullets and then, while bleeding from bullet wounds in his right arm and stomach, pulled her to the ground and whispered for her to pretend to be dead.
22.
Corrie Sanders was taken to a hospital in Pretoria, where he died in the early hours of 23 September 2012 of his wounds.