Corrie Sanders - Former Boxer Corrie Sanders Shot Dead In South Africa

Former heavyweight world boxing champion Corrie Sanders has died after he was shot shot during an armed robbery in his native South Africa.

The fighter, who famously beat Hayden Panettiere's ex-boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko to win the World Boxing Organization (Wbo) heavyweight title in 2003, was attending his nephew's 21st birthday party at a restaurant near the city of Pretoria on Saturday (22Sep12) when he was gunned down.

A police spokesperson says, "In the midst of the celebrations, about three suspects came in. They were planning to commit an armed robbery. Then in the armed robbery they shot randomly. Corrie was shot in the hand and also the stomach.

"They fled with a digital camera and also a handbag of one of the people who was in the restaurant."

Sanders retired in 2008, having won 42 of his 46 fights.