Iol.co.za / June 1, 2004

Corrie Sanders has announced that he will be back for at least another two heavyweight fights before hanging up his gloves for good.

The South African heavyweight, who lost the opportunity of annexing the WBC title a few weeks ago when he was knocked out by Germany's Vitali Klitschko, admitted this fact during the Pilsener Urquell SuperSport Shootout Celebrity golf tournament at Champagne Sports Resort in the Drakensberg at the weekend.

But Sanders made it quite clear that he will not be taking the route of being guided by American Don King, who has been talking of promoting the South African on a bill in this country.

The big heavyweight, who took a great deal of punishment during his failed attempt for the WBC heavyweight crown against the German, said he made it clear during a meeting with King that he (King) would have to negotiate with his German promoter Peter Kohl to stage any of his future fights.

'If the money is right I'll be back in the ring' "If Don King wants to organise a fight for the WBA or the WBC title, then King must go through Peter as he is my promoter and he has the rights at the moment," Sanders said. "And if the money is right I'll be back in the ring.

"We all know that King talks a lot but I will wait and see what happens over the next few weeks from his side."

Sanders said he was taking a break at the moment and was playing a lot of golf - he plays off a single digit handicap - and wanted to clear the "cobwebs" before making the announcement as to whom he will meet on his return.

"There's no doubt that I'll be back," he said. "I'm resting at the moment and want to clear my mind before making the next move.

"If there's a good fight and if the money is right I'll be back sooner rather than later."

'We all know that King talks a lot' The South African heavyweight admitted he is desperate for a rematch against Klitschko to prove that he is a class fighter.

"I was disappointed that I lost to him. It was a prestigious contest and a return fight against him would give me an opportunity of putting the record straight," Sanders said.

When asked if his return to the ring was to do with money or his pride, Sanders said: "You can say it's a bit of both. Money is always a factor but my image is at stake as well. I believe I did well in my last fight even though I lost. The whole world wants me back in the ring."

The 39-year-old Sanders has had 42 fights in his career since he began as a professional in 1989. He has lost just three fights - a non-title bout against Nate Tubbs of the United States, the second against Hashim Rahman for the WBU heavyweight title and a few weeks ago to Klitschko.

Suntimes.co.za / David Issacson / May 23, 2004

King wants Corrie for new 'rumble in the jungle'

DON King wants to feature Corrie Sanders in an epic South African show that will match the legendary "Rumble in the Jungle" of 1974. But Sanders must "see the light" - and admit he was misled by his "mental midget" manager.

The flamboyant promoter, who burst to prominence 30 years ago when he staged Muhammad Ali's knockout win over George Foreman in what was then Zaire, this week vowed to bring the cream of his stable to SA to give opportunities to local fighters.

He singled out Sanders as deserving a chance to redeem his "betrayal" of Johannesburg promoter Rodney Berman, who is now working with the American motormouth.

King blamed Sanders's manager, Vernon Smith. He said he organised Sanders's No 2 WBC ranking in return for the promise of the South African's signature. Smith, however, contracted Sanders to another promoter, Universum in Germany. At the time, an irate Berman split with Sanders and Smith.

King told the Sunday Times : "Rodney was so hurt, and Vernon Smith - he's the Tyson of the managerial profession; they confused him with a genius - he's a mental midget.

"Then he [Smith] goes and tries to defend what he did. That's why I stuck with Rodney. He had something more important to me than money - he had integrity. "

But it was Sanders who suffered the most, insisted King, adding that guilt caused the South African's poor condition when he lost to Vitali Klitschko last month. "He looked like he'd been out the night before with the boys." Sanders was "lean [and] mean" when he knocked out Klitschko's brother, Wladimir.

"I'd like to get the victim of all these machinations and ploys ... I told Rodney we must embrace Vernon because what he's done unwittingly is cut the umbilical cord to Corrie. Now we can give Corrie a chance at home."

King's criticism of Smith then took a sarcastic turn: "Vernon, in all of his wisdom, knew this would happen after he'd totally shattered the man. We show that if you give a little TLC, a little tenderness, a little love and care, that we can reinspire and motivate Corrie to towering heights. "

Smith has denied the double-cross, insisting Sanders was already contracted to two promoters, Universum and England-based SEM. He alleged that King had offered slave wages. "Universum, Corrie's promoters, are the people King needs to contact if he wants to promote him," said Smith from London last night. "It's all very well King coming here seeking publicity. It's not up to Rodney Berman, or me, King needs to speak to Corrie's promoters."

King said the SA tournament would be in November, or even earlier.

"I got three heavyweight titles, all the cruiserweight cham pions, I have the middleweight champion, I have Winky Wright at junior-middleweight, I got all three welterweights with Cory Spinks. All the notable fighters. I'm gonna make them all available to South Africa; give South African kids an opportunity to fight for world titles.

"I'd love Lamon [Brewster, the WBO champion] to come here. Corrie KOs Wladimir, he [Brewster] knocks out Wladimir - which one would knock out the other? What a sell that would be. There's nothing more stimulating than a heavyweight championship fight... this is man-to-man; that type of atmosphere, like Kinshasa in Zaire 30 years ago. We can do the same thing here. Let's kill the fatted calf, we're gonna have a party here. We're going to drink wine and be merry."

Suntimes.co.za / David Issacson

It makes perfect sense that Corrie Sanders believes Vitali Klitschko is a better fighter than his younger brother, Wladimir. The South African, who blew away Wladimir in two rounds last year, was stopped in eight by Vitali a fortnight ago. "Vitali must be the better fighter," said Sanders, although adding that Wladimir was more scientific. Vitali, on the other hand, is tougher, more ring-wise and uses his limited skills to maximum effect.

Sanders had a friendly chat with Wladimir before fighting Vitali. Wladimir had the task of watching Sanders's hands being taped in the dressing room. "I spoke to him about his fight [to Lamon Brewster, two weeks earlier] and he made some excuses [for why he lost]. He said 'good luck' and then he left."

Sanders offered no excuses of his own for losing to Vitali, but admitted his right hand gave him trouble in training. He cut both hands when reportedly falling through a window late last year. The right hand was so bad that the ring finger and pinky were nearly amputated. "Another millimetre and they would have gone," disclosed Sanders, who had to take anti-inflammatories during his preparation. "But it's no excuse - I didn't feel it on the night."

Secondsout.com

Smith still insistent Sanders may box on

By Anthony Evans: Heavyweight dangerman Corrie Sanders will fight again if the opponent - and the money - are sufficiently to his liking, manager Vernon Smith insisted once more on Wednesday.

It has been reported elsewhere that the big-puncher from Pretoria, South Africa has quit the sport. However Smith, who guided the South African 'Sniper' to the WBO title and a match with Vitali Klitschko two weeks ago for the WBC championship, told SecondsOut that his fighter will relax for a few months before making any concrete decisions.

"I'm playing golf with Corrie on Sunday and we're going to talk about the future," Smith said. "Immediately following the Vitali fight two weeks ago Corrie thought there were no more big opportunities for him and because he doesn't want to fight (undercard) fights he believed he should retire.

However, what neither of us realised was how big a name Corrie had become in America. There are two very big offers on the table already from two different promoters; both are big fights for more money than he got for the Vitali fight (which was just shy of $1million). I won't let Corrie fight for no money - not at 38 when I know how much he is worth to promoters. But if the money is right Corrie wants to fight."

It has been suggested that Sanders is much more interested in pursuing a career as a golfer than boxer. Indeed, Sanders didn't turn up to the Vitali fight in anywhere near as good a shape as he did when he destroyed Wladimir Klitschko the previous March.

However, Sanders gave the elder Klitschko a severe test for eight exciting rounds no matter what his bodyfat percentage was. And, Smith was quick to point out, excitement is what the fans want to see.

He said: "Who wants to pay to see John Ruiz? Who wants to pay to see Chris Byrd? No one. People will pay to see Corrie because they know he will fight in there - he will try in every round to knock the other fighter out. Corrie Sanders is very marketable right now and in a few weeks we will be able to say for sure what we are doing."

Suntimes.co.za

I've been hit harder by others: Sanders

But he soaked up more Klitschko punches - an astonishing 230 to be exact - in eight rounds of fighting the wrong fight

DAVID ISAACSON

CORRIE Sanders, beaten black and blue, reckons he's taken heavier punches than those dished out by Vitali Klitschko.

He was knocked out by journeyman Nate Tubbs in 1994; danced like a ballerina against heavy-handed Ross Puritty in 1997 and was stopped by Hasim Rahman four years ago.

But the difference with Klitschko was the number of blows - Sanders swallowed exactly 230 shots last weekend before the referee halted the slaughter late in round eight.

"I haven't been hit so hard by so many punches before," said the South African, whose left cheek was still distorted from swelling this week.

"I've never looked like this... it's still painful. My mouth's sore, there are blisters inside. Everything's sore."

At least his pocket is pleasantly swollen, with his share of pay-per-view profits still being calculated. And the bruises couldn't keep him off the golf course, shooting five over par at Pecanwood on Wednesday.

Sanders, 38, is unsure about the future. It could be professional golf. "Ernie Els phoned me on Tuesday. He talked about the fight and that I must come and visit him in the US. He also says I must give it [pro golf] a go."

Or Sanders may spend more time on his game farm at Thabazimbi in Limpopo. Or he may climb back into the ring - if the price is right. "It's 90% certain I'll retire... I don't want to fight anymore, I've got to go through all the training. I don't like it. I'm not going in there for peanuts."

For somebody who hates training, it's ironic that he believes he over-trained for the Klitschko bout.

Sanders looked out of sorts against the chiselled Ukrainian, but insists it wasn't the result of poor conditioning. "Maybe it was excitement and nerves. I believe I was over-trained... I was in the best condition of my life." He clearly possessed energy to stay on his feet in spite of the heavy punishment.

Put it into perspective. Klitschko's 230 punches were more than either Marco Antonio Barrera (207) or Erik Morales (205) - the world's top featherweights two years ago - landed against each other over 12 full rounds.

In terms of the punch count, not even Mike Tyson suffered the same savagery when getting knocked out by Lennox Lewis in the eighth in 2002.

Lewis versus Tyson was 21 seconds shorter than Klitschko against Sanders, but according to CompuBox statisticians, Klitschko delivered almost 40 punches more than Lewis.

More frightening is that Klitschko landed more than double the power shots - 171 to Lewis's 84.

Sanders landed only two blows more than Tyson (51-49), yet he was miles more competitive.

Lewis probably cracks harder than Klitschko, but the statistics prove that Sanders's fight strategy was wrong. He should have paid attention to defence, rather than being a walking punch bag. Easier said than done, he points out.

"You can't get to him," says Sanders, who landed just nine jabs. "I was surprised. For his height he was very mobile. Lennox Lewis said to me he's quicker than [Vitali's brother] Wladimir and I didn't believe him. Now I know."

Klitschko also fought smart, often retreating to lure Sanders into range.

"If I fight him again, I'll wait for him to come to me, for him to make the mistakes. I made the mistakes."

For Sanders, his brave performance in an entertaining scrap was scant consolation. "It's great for the world and South Africa to see me show heart and take shots, but I'm still the loser. It means nothing. I wanted to win."

If he does walk away from the sport, it'll be with some fond memories.

Before the fight in Los Angeles he met movie stars John Travolta and Uma Thurman, as well as leading wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He even signed autographs for the two men.

"[For Travolta] I wrote 'thanks for all the great movies'."

Had Travolta signed anything for Sanders after the Klitschko bout, the actor surely would have written: "Thanks for the great fight."

Superboxing.co.za

King wants Sanders to fight by Jaco van der Merwe

Posted on 29 April 2004 - 23:33

Corrie Sanders is contemplating retirement, but promoter Don King's cheque book may make the South African heavyweight boxer change his mind. King is to visit South Africa next month for the "All the King's Men" tournament at Carnival City in Brakpan, an event he will be co-promoting with Rodney Berman.

The highlight of the tournament will be the World Boxing Association junior-heavyweight title bout between Jean-Marc Mormeck of France and American Virgil Hill.

"I would love to talk to Corrie, and I'd also like to work with Rodney in getting Corrie another title shot," said King from the United States during a teleconference on Thursday. "He (Sanders) deserves to take the title home."

King believes the South African - who was stopped in the eighth round of his World Boxing Council heavyweight title bout with Vitali Klitschko last weekend - still has a lot to offer at the age of 38.

King obviously realises the worth to the sport of good white boxers in the heavyweight division, where they are a minority.

And he wasted no time in trying to win friends ahead of his vist by praising South Africa for ten years of democracy.

"There's so much instability all around the globe. Since the end of apartheid, South Africa has set an example for the rest of the world, and that's why I'm so excited about visiting your country."

"I would love to experience a bit of Madiba Magic and also shake hands with (president) Thabo Mbeki.

"I've never visited South Africa, but I've heard that it's one of the most beautiful places in the world," said King.

Superboxing.co.za

Corrie not keen to fight again

Posted on 29 April 2004 - 00:47

Vitali Klitschko could reign as world heavyweight boxing champion for some time to come, says South Africa's Corrie Sanders. Sanders was stopped by Klitschko in the eighth round of their WBC title fight in Los Angeles at the weekend.

"I would like to fight him again, but I've got to say that he's a difficult customer.

"He uses his size and reach well and is clever. He's also very strong and packs quite a punch, although he doesn't throw his combinations well.

"Chances are slim that I'll box again, but if I do, I'd like to come up against Vitali, " said Sanders on Wednesday.

"Klitschko can improve, since he can be taught to throw better combinations and punch harder."

He indicated that only a big payday would lure him back to the ring, and that - in such an event - he would also consider clashing with Wladimir Klitschko or Mike Tyson.

Sanders said Chris Byrd would have an outside chance of beating Vitali Klitschko because of his (Byrd's) difficult style, but that he probably did not punch hard enough.

Another contender was James Toney, albeit that the American was on the small side.

Secondsout.com

Sanders has not retired

By Anthony Evans: Defeated WBC heavyweight title challenger Corrie Sanders has not made up his made to quit the sport, despite what you may have read elsewhere.

Manager Vernon Smith told SecondsOut that Sanders's position remains unchanged from Sunday night, when he informed me that the South African southpaw would only retire if a big-money fight cannot be made for the 38-year-old.

"What some people are writing with supposed quotes from Corrie, is just bullshit," Smith said. "I spoke with Corrie at length last night (Monday) and while retirement was part of the discussion am still in Los Angles and am talking to many people about another big fight for Corrie this year. Corrie doesn't want to continue (as a journeyman) but is interesting in big fights."

The WBC have informed Smith that should Sanders decided to carry on, he will only be demoted to No.2 in their official rankings in light of his credible performance against Klitschko at the Staples Center Saturday night.

Iol.co.za

Corrie's heart was not enough...

By Jermaine Craig

Los Angeles - Corrie Sanders's unblemished face had smiled all week in the build-up to the biggest fight of his life at the Staples Centre against Vitali Klitschko.

Seconds after his devastating defeat to the Ukrainian in their entertaining WBC heavyweight title fight on Saturday night, Sanders was still smiling.

After the fight, however, his face was no longer unblemished, far from it, it was a bloody mess. Sanders had a golf-ball size swelling on his left cheek, a purple welt on the back of his head and a deep gash just above his now dark-blue, virtually shut right eye.

The 38-year-old South African had taken a helluva beating and even he acknowledged referee Jon Schorle was correct in stopping the fight two minutes and 46 seconds into the eighth round.

'He could not do it for South Africa' After so much disappointment and heartache in his 15-year career, Sanders had enjoyed every second of the world boxing spotlight over the last few weeks.

He knew this would be his one and only chance to write his name in the annals of boxing history, alongside men like Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and Joe Frazier, who had previously been undisputed heavyweight champions of the world.

Usually an irritable, grumpy so-and-so before a big fight, Sanders had been relaxed and full of smiles for weeks before the massive Klitschko fight, right up until the time he walked into the ring on Saturday night.

But immediately as he stepped through those ropes, he changed noticeably, looking almost leaden-footed.

His manager, Vernon Smith, acknowledged afterwards that his charge had "fought the wrong fight" and indeed after fighting with his heart, rather than his head, he was out-boxed and out-thought by the better man on the night.

Maybe the occasion got the better of him and if so, nobody can blame him. It must have been quite something being the centre of attraction at the home of the famous LA Lakers, with boxing legends like Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns and basketball great Kareem Abdul Jabaar among those at ringside.

So, it was maybe not surprising then that Sanders's feet looked a bit heavier than usual as the opening bell sounded.

Yet, somehow, he controlled those initial nerves and in fact got off to the better start, landing some big left hooks in the first round, which staggered Klitschko.

Sanders caught Klitschko again with two big lefts early in the second round, but those punches stung Klitschko into action, and it was the Ukrainian who finished the round the stronger.

As early as the third round, Sanders had opened up a cut on Klitschko's left eye. Sensing victory, Sanders aggressively started the fourth round, but that was when his heart took over and his head was left behind.

He tried too hard to go in for the kill, choosing, to his detriment, to go toe-to-toe with Klitschko.

The Ukrainian had learnt a great deal from Sanders's demolition of his brother, Wladimir, in Germany in 2003, and smartly avoided being caught by the majority of Sanders' big left hooks.

And the more Sanders failed to nail Klitschko, the more Sanders got hit himself, as the Ukrainian - in by far the better physical condition - took control of the fight and beat Sanders' face to a bloody, swollen pulp, with the blood flowing from both the South African's nostrils.

Sanders was still on his feet, barely, when referee Schorle intervened and gained warm praise from Klitschko after the fight.

"I was surprised he never went down. It was unbelievable. He took so many punches and then he always came back with punches of his own," said Klitschko.

Sanders's manager, Vernon Smith, said he had to be taken to hospital shortly after the fight to drain some blood from his left ear and wasn't immediately available for interviews.

"His biggest regret was that he could not do it for South Africa and the people in his camp," said Smith.

Lewis hails Sanders' courage / Iol.co.za

By Jermaine Craig

"Put your hands up Corrie. Put your hands up," Lennox Lewis urged a cut, swollen, bloodied Corrie Sanders as he left the Staples Centre ring on Saturday night.

Sanders managed to tilt his weary limbs skyward, but sadly those big arms weren't raised in triumph, but rather in bitter disappointment after his unsuccessful shot at the WBC heavyweight title.

The 38-year-old South African was a well-beaten man after his eighth-round stoppage by a clinical Vitali Klitschko, but Lewis hailed his courageous performance.

"It was an unbelievable fight. It was a combination of punches that added up. Vitali fought a good fight, but Corrie was courageous, very courageous," said Lewis.

The dreadlocked Briton, who relinquished the WBC heavyweight title after beating Klitschko in the same Staples Centre arena a year ago, said he had encouraged Sanders to raise his hands after the fight, because even in defeat he had shown the qualities of a champion. "He showed the heart of a lion and he's definitely a true champ," said Lewis.

Those were warm words from Lewis. Unfortunately, the former Pretoria policeman's dream of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world was just not to be on a memorable night at the home of the famous LA Lakers.

So long in the shadows over the years, Sanders finally got the chance to be the headline act as the likes of basketball legend Kareem Abdul Jabaar, boxing greats Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns and Evander Holyfield and actor Mark Wahlberg sat among a full-house ringside audience.

Sanders had his moments, rushing out of the starting blocks and shaking Klitschko with a few of his trademark lefts in the first round.

But Klitschko had learnt well from Sanders's second-round demolition of his brother, Wladimir, in Germany in 2003.

The giant Ukrainian bided his time to land his punches and moved nicely to evade the best of what Sanders had to offer. And, as Lewis said, in the end the accumulation of his punches proved Sanders's undoing as referee Jon Schorle stepped in to stop the fight two minutes 46 seconds into the eighth round.

Afterwards Klitschko tried to coax Lewis out of retirement to fight him again for the heavyweight title.

Suntimes.co.za

David Issacson

Brave Corrie fails in title tilt

CORRIE Sanders thrilled American fans on Sunday morning, but for all the wrong reasons.

The South African put up a brave display against Vitali Klitschko, soaking up terrible punishment before referee Jon Schorle stopped the massacre in the eighth round. His face a mask of blood, Sanders withstood everything his opponent threw at him, never hitting the canvas once.

Klitschko wins the WBC heavweight title vacated earlier this year by Lennox Lewis.

Sanders, who vacated the WBO crown he won from Klitschko's younger brother Wladimir for the WBC shot, earns the recognition he's wanted for much of his career.

Many critics thought Sanders lacked courage, but he dispelled that in Las Angeles, trying his best to catch Vitali with a haymaker. He rocked Vitali in the opening round - Sanders's best - landing a booming left that wobbled the Ukrainian's legs.

Sanders tracked his wounded foe on to the ropes and unleashed a barrage of wild blows, with Klitschko slumping to the canvas. The referee, however, ruled it a slip.

In the second round, Sanders's lacked his earlier venom, throwing fewer punches but allowing Klitschko to counter. Sanders fought back strongly late in the third round, which ended in a slugfest with the two giants standing toe-to-toe.

From then on Sanders fought only in spurts, looking as if he was short of stamina. He was rocked at the end of the fifth, with the blood starting to flow. But he fought back in the sixth, landing a heavy left to Klitschko's chin and trying to end matters then and there.

At the end of the round, trainer Harold Volbrecht told his charge: "Hy's pap (he's tired)." If Klitschko was tired, then Sanders was exhausted.

By the final eighth round, Sanders was unable to throw any punches. All he could do was eat everything Klitschko threw at him and stay standing. Sanders lacked stamina, but he proved he has the lion's heart few believed he had.

Vitali's record improved to 34 wins (33 KOs) and two defeats. Sanders's dropped to 39-3 (29 KOs).

According to Sanders' manager, Vernon Smith, on the way to the hospital Corrie mentioned that if the WBC still has him ranked high after this loss, he'll maybe come back for one or two more fights.

Boxingscene.com

By Rick Reeno

The camp of Corrie Sanders have released information that Corrie injured his back badly three weeks ago and was taking medication to help cope with the pain. The injury was severe enough that the camp of Sanders almost cancelled the Klitschko bout. Sanders wanted the fight to go on, as he did not want to lose a $900,000 payday. Sanders missed an entire week of training due to the back injury and his camp feels that it hurt his stamina in the fight. Sanders was pretty busted up last night, he suffered a broken nose, multiple bruises, an injured left ear and had to get nine stiches to close a cut over his left eye.

Sanders said that unless he gets a rematch with Vitali, he is calling it a career.

"I think I'm finished, this could be the end of my career. Age is a problem for me. I am turning 39. You got to know when it is time to get out of boxing and I believe the time is now." said Sanders.

Regarding who is the better Klitschko:

"Vitali is more clever and has got a bigger heart than Wladimir."

"I have nothing to be ashamed of," said Sanders. "My big punch just didn't come."

"My face is not too good but I can still smile," he said. "People said I fought like a lion.

"I am very proud of myself, I just didn't lie down and say it is over.

"He (Klitschko) never knocked me down and that means a lot to me."

Secondsout.com

By South African correspondent Gaynor Noyce: A source close to Corrie Sanders revealed after his Saturday WBC heavyweight title clash that the Pretoria fighter was handicapped by injuries to his left "power punching" hand throughout his training for the Los Angeles mega fight with Vitali Klitschko.

Sanders overcame tremendous pain to whip himself in shape for the contest for boxing's biggest prize against Klitschko. He had been plagued by injury to his hand even before he stunned the boxing world by knocking out Wladimir Klitschko in Hannover, Germany to claim the WBO heavyweight title last year.

To compound things, Sanders sliced open both his hands when he fell through a plate glass window at his home afterwards. His left hand was operated on prior to and after the accident.

As a southpaw, Sanders' power punching hand was neutralized by pain, a condition he wryly concealed while sparring before the media prior to his departure for the USA in March. His condition left him grasping for the imperative task to knock out Vitali Klitschko within three rounds - or face his dream being destroyed.

Emotions were high among a tight crowd of South Africans who watched compatriot Sanders lose in eight rounds to Klitschko live on big screens on Sunday morning at Sun City.

The general feeling was one of sympathy for the vanquished local prize fighter after the battle for boxing's biggest prize was staged in Los Angeles and televised live by HBO from 4am.

Fight enthusiasts paid between R1750 and R750 for exclusive viewing at the Superbowl where organisers set up an elaborate affair with giant screens. The event attracted a core of die-hard boxing enthusiasts who burned the midnight oil through a glut of South African boxing before the crossing to the US.

Sanders looked promising when he came out with both fists blazing, catching Klitschko off guard in his attempt to send his rival home early. But Vitali relaxed and loosened his robotic style as he settled into the fight. His corner read Sanders like an open book and sent Vitali back in round two to launch his offensive and nudge Sanders on points.

Sanders, nicknamed "the Sniper" slowed in the third and only picked up in the last thirty seconds of the round to score. Klitschko dictated the fourth and bloodied Sanders' nose. But a cracking right hook to Sanders left ear at the end of the fifth left him disoriented and the referee poised to stop it, had the bell not saved him first.

The sapped Sanders threw caution to the wind and lashed out in a last ditch effort to bail himself out of deep trouble in the sixth. But Klitschko reeled in his prey by the seventh leaving Sanders' battered face badly bleeding. A big four-punch combination in the eighth had the referee call it quits.

A dearth of talent in the heavyweight division had Vitali call for Lennox Lewis to renounce his retirement and deliver his gentleman's promise: to give him the rematch he so badly wants. Lewis, who was at ringside, stopped Klitschko in six rounds last June. His victory was met by huge protests because of controversy over the manner in which the Ukrainian's eye was split.

Sanders, (38) is expected to return home could perhaps hang up his gloves for good. A scratch golfer, Sanders may retire from boxing and set his sights on a golfing career.

An excruciatingly sad and painful moment. It hurts to even write this. Klitschko wins the fight. Sanders was seemingly in poor shape. Sanders deserves credit for staying in there for as long as he did without going down. He also rocked Vitali on a few occasions. I honestly believed Sanders would win. Many thanks to everyone who visited this page in the months leading up to the fight.

The Sniper sets his sights.

Iol.co.za

By Jermaine Craig

Los Angeles - In the twilight of his professional career, at the age of 38, Corrie Sanders picked up his first nickname this week.

His trainer Harold Volbrecht has named him "The Sniper" in the lead-up to Sanders' long-awaited shot at the WBC heavyweight title against Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko at the Staples Centre on Sunday morning (SA time).

In his 15 years as a professional boxer the former Pretoria policeman has always been just plain old "Corrie Sanders", but for by far the biggest fight of his life it was felt he needed a special showbiz name.

He is after all fighting in the movie capital of the world and staying in a glitzy five-star hotel on the Avenue of the Stars, where over the past few days Sanders has met movie stars like John Travolta, Bruce Willis, The Rock and Uma Thurman.

"Is he used to this Hollywood lifestyle?" Los Angeles boxing writer Steve Springer asked quizzically this week, as he looked at a relaxed Sanders basking in the California sunshine.

He's not really, but few will begrudge him his moment in the spotlight.

He's lapped up all the attention he's been getting this week, but he's taken it in his stride and done so with no small dose of humility.

Professional boxing in the heavyweight division is no easy way to carve out a career and in that career Sanders has been up and down more than a drunken sailor on a stormy sea.

Just a year and a half ago in fact he was still fighting an American bum called Otis "The Assassin" Tisdale in the first fight of the night on a Oklahoma City bill, before the television cameras had been set up or the hot dog sellers had opened their concession stands.

Now, amazingly, his big chance has come, courtesy of a night in Hamburg in March last year when he obliterated Vitali's highly-rated brother, Vladimir, in two stunning rounds to win the WBO title.

That was a fight that forced the boxing world to suddenly sit up and take note of the ageing South African slugger.

HBO, the American sports network who are televising the fight, have promoted the fight with the words "it's family business" in reference to Sanders' demolition of Vladimir.

However, Vitali simply said: "I have the goal to be world champion. Emotion won't help me." But Sanders must now try to live up to another nickname former WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis gave him this week - "The Klitschko Killer".

As the era of the likes of Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lewis ended, the Klitschko brothers had proclaimed themselves the "future of boxing".

Good-looking, suave, with twin doctorates in sports science to go with their title of United Nations goodwill ambassadors, the pair were perfect candidates to rejuvenate heavyweight boxing.

Their path to boxing world domination was, however, dramatically stopped in its tracks by Sanders that night in Hamburg last year. Now, the South African has the chance to do one of the most sensational doubles in boxing history.

His unusual southpaw stance, speed, hunger and the punching power he demonstrated against Vladimir will be Sanders' trump cards tonight. "This is something that's come late in my career, but nevertheless it's there now and it's something special.

"Not many boxers get the chance to fight for this title and I must make the most of my chance," said Sanders this week.

In Vitali, though, he's up against a beast of a man, much taller and stronger than his brother and with a better ability to absorb a punch. With an awkward boxing style in which he makes good use of his reach, Vitali's had the better of most of his opponents and his tremendous punching power is backed up by 33 professional wins, 32 by knockout.

That's the kind of power Sanders will need to keep at bay tonight. It's a tall order against the six foot eight giant Klitschko, but the rewards couldn't be better if he does.

"The opportunity now exists for someone to come forward and claim their place in the pantheon of boxing greatness. Can one of these men seize the moment? Make a statement and convince world boxing fans that they are truly the heavyweight champion of the world.

"It's not the belt that makes the champion, it's the people and, gentlemen, it's time to stake your claim," HBO president Kery Davis said to Klitschko and Sanders this week.

Thanks to everyone who voted in the two polls. For the first poll about 550 voted for Sanders to win, and 350 voted for Klitschko to win. For the second poll it was about 170 for Klitschko to win, and 135 for Sanders to win. We'll know the truth very soon.

Iol.co.za

Lewis' money is on Sanders

By Jermaine Craig

It's not often a king abdicates his crown and then gets the chance to choose who he wants as his successor.

Lennox Lewis finds himself in that unusual position and if he were to have things his way, he would choose Corrie Sanders to succeed him as the next World Boxing Council heavyweight champion of the world.

Lewis was battling his way to a controversial win over Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko at the Los Angeles Staples Centre 10 months ago in what would prove to be his last fight.

The Briton had vowed to give Klitschko a rematch, but reneged on that verbal agreement, opting instead to retire and relinquish his crown as undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

'Sanders wants to be a champion' Now, the opportunity has arisen for Sanders to assume Lewis's mantle when he fights Vitali for the vacant WBC heavyweight belt at Staples on Saturday night (Sunday morning South African time).

And, unusually, Lewis will play an integral role in determining who will pick up where he left off. As Sanders's promoter, he will be firmly in the 38-year-old South African's corner.

It's a bit of an incestuous situation, with Emmanuel Steward - Lewis's long-time trainer and confidante - acting as a "personal adviser" for Klitschko before the fight.

That's boxing, and after Sanders's stunning demolition of Vitali's brother, Wladimir, in Germany 2003 to win the WBO belt, the stage is set for a dramatic night.

As you would expect, Lewis's money is in more ways than one on Sanders, whose unique southpaw fighting style and superior speed, Lewis says, will be the key to victory against Klitschko.

"One thing about Corrie Sanders is that he wants to be a champion.

"And secondly, he's a southpaw. Not many people have given southpaws opportunities to fight, because they don't like southpaws. That makes Corrie so unique.

"A lot of people don't realise he's a southpaw until he gets in the ring. Many people don't get a chance to practice against southpaws, because there's not many around. That's one thing Corrie's definitely got going for him," said Lewis in an interview with The Star.

That's something Sanders's camp has known for years and it's the reason he's had such a frustrating career, where the big opportunities have always seemed to elude him.

Lewis was one of those who avoided him, as were big-name fighters like Roy Jones Jr and Mike Tyson.

But now, nobody can run from him. He's deserved his shot at boxing's holy grail.

Yet, that unique southpaw style hasn't gone anywhere and it's exactly what Lewis feels will be Klitschko's undoing.

"Vitali Klitschko's never seen a southpaw before. His brother never saw one before his fight with Sanders either.

"And it was very evident in their fight.

"He was looking the other way and the punches were hitting him from the other side. It was a big surprise for him.

"When Corrie boxes against an orthodox boxer, that orthodox boxer is going to feel weird.

"All his boxing career he's been moving a certain way, now he's going to have to change his movements when he comes up against a southpaw.

"That's not easy. That's why I always say styles make for interesting fights and I am sure the public will be enthused by this one between Corrie and Vitali," said Lewis.

The charismatic Briton, however, knows it will be foolish to underestimate the granite-like Klitschko.

"Vitali has an awkward style. He's six foot eight and he uses his long reach well. But then, on the other hand, you've got Corrie, a southpaw who is very fast, moves differently and punches hard.

"And there's the fact he has beaten Vitali's brother already. It's going to make for a helluva fight," said Lewis.

And for the winner, from past experience, Lewis says there's the prospect of "a lot of pain, anguish and gratification" which the title of WBC heavyweight champion brings.

"Your life definitely changes. Your time's not your own.

"People want to speak to you, see you and there are always people who want to fight you. It never ends," said Lewis.

It's the kind of adulation Sanders has been craving his entire career, though at the age of 38, win or lose, he won't have much time to savour it.

"That, however, is what makes Sanders's once-in-a-lifetime shot that much more special.

"As long as you're making goals for yourself and you want to achieve them ... that's the main thing," reckons Lewis.

What an achievement it would be for Sanders, should he realise his wildest dreams.

Secondsout.com

Sanders: "This is going to be physical"

By Anthony Evans: Corrie Sanders (weigh-in pic by Ewa Martens) sounded relaxed while loading up on carbohydrates ahead of Saturday's showdown with Vitali Klitschko. Sanders and manager Vernon Smith were having lunch when I called them and for allthe world they sounded like two pals on a summer vacation.

"We've got a psychological advantage over Vitali," manager Smith began. "Corrie destroyed his brother, Wladimir, and now all the pressure is now on Vitali. He is supposed to be the (next big thing) in the division and people are saying Vitali has to win impressively - Corrie is the underdog and there is no pressure on us at all."

Although Sanders has trained harder than ever for longer than ever for this vacant WBC heavyweight title collision, 'Relaxed' has been the buzz-word of the last seven days.

"All the hard work has been done correctly," Sanders said. "I've been playing a bit of golf, walking around town, relaxing, speaking with my team, watching some films - just keeping relaxed. Over the last few days I've begun to turn my thoughts towards the fight, getting more serious, but there is no (apprehension) for me."

Many boxing writers have turned day-time TV pop-psychologists for this fight, psycho-analysing not only how Vitali will react to fighting the man who ruined his kid brother but also the elder sibling's mental state after witnessing Wladimir get beat again so recently.

Certainly, at Thursday's weigh-in 'big brother' tried a good old fashioned stare-down - perhaps trying to get back on a level playing field in terms of the mental battle - but the South African just kept smiling at him.

Smith said: "Vitali could be more motivated because he and Wladimir wanted to be champions at the same time and with Wladimir losing the other week to Lamon Brewster, Vitali will want to make sure at least one of them wins a title. Wladimir is gone - and Vitali knows that he has to win this fight in order for either of them to be taken seriously again."

"But Wladimir was supposedly to be the better brother," Sanders pointed out again. "Even Vitali - very recently, too - said Wladimir was better.

"But really you have two of the biggest punchers in the division and it is punching power - and speed - which will decide the fight, not psychology or anything like that. That's why I've trained so hard to do the best 12 rounds of my career - because this fight is going to be physical, not mental."

Sanders also hinted at an explosive start; well, yeah, that is constant with almost every fight of his 15 career.

Capetimes.co.za

This is the big one for Corrie

By Jermaine Craig

When Corrie Sanders steps into the Staples Centre ring on Saturday night to fight for the WBC heavyweight title against Vitali Klitschko, it will be the culmination of 15 years of hard work with his devoted trainer Harold Volbrecht.

"It's been a long struggle," said Volbrecht this week of a partnership which began way back in February 1989, when Sanders made his professional debut against "King Kong" Dyubele.

Sanders has come a long way since those early days, winning 39 of his 41 professional fights - including the WBU and WBO heavyweight titles - and Volbrecht has been by his side since day one in the pro ranks. But now it's the big one against the giant Ukrainian and the chance to become the best current heavyweight on the planet.

"When I started with Corrie we had a father-son relationship, but as he's grown older we've become more like brothers. He's lived at my house and got married out of my house. We're very close. When Corrie bleeds, I bleed with him," said Volbrecht.

"The Hammer" defended his national welterweight title over a dozen times, but a world title always eluded him. Now, after establishing himself as one of South Africa's top trainers, he gets the chance with Sanders to win the biggest title in world boxing.

"I wasn't destined to be a world champion myself, but I was destined to make world champions. At the age of 47 I've been involved in over 50 world title fights, but this is a really big moment for me. The WBC heavyweight title is THE title in boxing and should Corrie win it, I would say we've achieved our goal in life," said Volbrecht.

Sanders's big shot has come late in life, at the age of 38, and only because of his spectacular demolition of Vitali's brother, Wladimir, in two rounds in Germany in March last year to win the WBO title.

"I never thought this day would come, but I am glad it's come for Corrie. We've been living on promises for years, but nothing's materialised until now. Corrie's relaxed and positive.

"That's a good sign for me. When he's prepared properly for a fight, and he certainly has for this one, it takes a lot of the nerves away.

"As we were walking to the ring before the fight against Wladimir I told him that for 13 years I had been believing in him and now it was time for him to believe in himself. He did that night and the challenge this time is exactly the same as it was against Wladimir. If he believes in himself, there's nobody who can beat him," said Volbrecht.

He believes Sanders's superior movement will be the undoing of the more rigid Klitschko.

"Klitschko's got a very awkward style. Corrie's got to use his speed to catch him. Corrie fights like a light heavyweight and throws twice as many punches as a conventional heavyweight. I think Corrie is a more polished fighter than Vitali," said Volbrecht, adding, "I just think speed outperforms power".

That's not to say Sanders doesn't possess plenty of power himself. "What I will tell him is that if he sees the gap, take it, whether it's in the first round or the 12th. This is his only chance," said Volbrecht. "At his age, there won't be another one and there's no point in holding back."

Sanders goes hunting for the biggest game of all. Click here

Weights from Los Angeles:

Vitali Klitschko 245 vs Corrie Sanders 235

Sabcnews.com

Sanders anxious to wear WBC belt

Trainer promises a leaner and meaner Sanders

In three days time Corrie Sanders will have the opportunity to shine in Los Angeles. By winning the WBC heavyweight title against Vitali Klitschko, Sanders will definitely be recognised as a star in a city filled with movie stars.

Having spent five long weeks training in LA, the former WBU and WBO heavyweight champion is more than ready to stake a claim to the glory.

It is the hardest he has ever trained in his career. But when it is the biggest fight of your career, that is expected.

Harold Volbrecht, Sanders's trainer said: " It's a leaner and meaner Sanders people will see entering the Staples Arena on Saturday night. But it will be a man entering with one goal in mind - to walk out after the fight, wearing the WBC belt."

In Los Angeles, Vitali Klitshcko is still the betting man's choice to lift the title. It was the same scenario when Sanders fought younger brother Wladimir in Germany last year. Nobody gave the Pretoria boxer a chance then and he stunned the world.

Sanders will outbox, hurt Klitschko

Matthew Aguilar

El Paso Times

Vitali Klitschko will be the favorite to succeed Lennox Lewis as heavyweight champion when he meets Corrie Sanders on Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. But it is Klitschko who is lugging the bulk of the pressure on his mammoth shoulders.

Klitschko and his brother Wladimir have been tabbed as boxing's "next big things"-- literally and figuratively -- since arriving on the scene in the late 1990s. Their presence marked the arrival of the "super heavyweight" era as they towered over their contemporaries while maintaining a frightening athleticism.

But with the shocking demise of Wladimir -- the younger Klitschko was stopped by unheralded Lamon Brewster on April 10 -- it is the 6-foot-7, 245-pound Vitali who is suddenly the savior of the heavyweight division, if not the sport. It is Vitali who very nearly toppled reigning heavyweight king Lennox Lewis last June 21. It is Vitali who massacred the respected Kirk Johnson in two rounds last December. It is Vitali who is expected to return respect to the Klitschko family name.

And it is Vitali who is expected to give a slumping sport some energy with a victory over Sanders.

It won't be easy.

Quick-handed Corrie

Not only is the 6-4, 235-pound Sanders (39-2, 29 knockouts) hulking himself, he is a more advanced boxer than Vitali -- and undoubtedly the more relaxed of the two. He has surprisingly quick hands that produce slashing punches, and he is a southpaw -- something that rarely is seen in the heavyweight division. It was those fast fists and that left-handed stance that combined to decimate Wladimir 13 months ago -- 2003's "Upset of the Year."

And while Vitali (33-2, 32 knockouts) showed toughness and grit in his loss to Lewis last year, he didn't necessarily show an abundance of skill. It was always Wladimir who was considered the more talented.

Vitali is mechanical and stiff and not very versatile. What makes him such a formidable force is his punching power, his durability, and his massive size. That won't be enough to overcome a confident, prepared Sanders.

As much as Vitali prepared for Sanders' southpaw stance, there is no sparring partner capable of simulating Corrie's rare heavyweight ability to punch in rapid-fire combination and deliver deadly-accurate straight left hands.

Vitali -- mechanical, stiff Vitali -- will be lost. And all that pressure will start to feel like he's giving Wladimir a piggy-back.

Then the cuts that gaped against Lewis will reopen, and though Vitali will keep coming, a competitive fight on paper will turn into a rout.

Look for Sanders to become the new heavyweight champion on a dominant, bloody eighth-round TKO.

Capetimes.co.za

Corrie lands real blow in superficial town

By Jermaine Craig

Los Angeles: They do things a little differently in this image-conscious movie capital part of the world.

And as Corrie Sanders has discovered, even training for a WBC world heavyweight title fight is an out-of-this-world experience in the land of Hollywood, Santa Monica and Beverley Hills.

Not only is the five-star St Regis Hotel, where Sanders has been based for the last five weeks, situated on Los Angeles' Avenue of the Stars, he has also been working out in the "gym of the stars".

As one walks through the doors of the Steele Boxer gym on Washington Boulevard, where Sanders has been diligently training for his title fight on Saturday night against giant Ukranian Vitali Klitschko, the scented, incense-like smell one immediately gets tells you this is no ordinary gym.

In fact, with it's movie props, Batman pinball machines, Samurai swords on the walls and "punching bags" styled as life-like mannequins, Steele Boxer looks more amusement park than serious boxing gym.

"We've trained more celebrities and Oscar winners here than anywhere else in America. We treat the stars like regulars and the regulars like stars," said owner Chris Steele proudly yesterday, as an oblivious Sanders pounded the leather pads in the background.

And he wasn't kidding either.

On the wall of the strictly private gym a message is written, which says "a session at Steele Boxer is guaranteed to mess up more than your manicure", going on to say "an hour in the ring with Chris Steele and you're toast. Just ask Sharon Stone - how do you think she got those taught triceps?"

It's certainly not a venue for the boxing purists and is a little different than, for example, Nick Durandt's downtown Joburg "Sweat Shop" gym, which promises you "blood, sweat and tears".

But then again, when in Hollywood, do as the Tinseltown A-list elite do.

Other than Basic Instinct star Stone, other famous names to have worked out at the gym include Michelle Pheiffer (who trained there for her role as Catwoman in Batman Returns), Jodie Foster, Bette Midler, Tori Spelling, Days of our Lives' Austin Peck and Laura Dern.

Sanders' camp chose the gym for it's discreet location and also for the fact that, if one looks past all the movie-star gimmicks, it's got the best gym equipment in town, complete with full-size boxing ring.

And despite it's high-profile clientele, it's surprisingly discreet.

After more than a month of working out in Steele's gym, Sanders only found out this week that his opponent, Klitschko, lives just a kilometre away.

The 38-year-old Sanders has certainly been enjoying his long overdue moment in the Los Angeles sunshine, this week posing for pictures with the likes of John Travolta and The Rock from WWE fame.

Sanders has even been propositioned by a Hollywood producer about the possibility of him appearing in a blockbuster movie.

In the twilight of his career, it's a proposition that certainly appeals to him and he reckons he's "going to try" to make that movie career happen.

But in spite of the unusual location of his chosen gym and the unavoidable hobnobbing with the Hollywood glitterati, there's been nothing fake about Sanders' preparations for what's by far the biggest fight of his boxing career.

The likes of Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt and Steven Seagal may save the world on a regular basis on celluloid, but they certainly wouldn't fancy being on the receiving end of the real-life ferocity with which Sanders was unleashing his punches yesterday.

"This opportunity has come late in my career," said Sanders yesterday, adding, "but it's there now and it's something special for me. Not many people get to fight for this title and I know I must make the most of the chance".

The cable television cameras will be rolling on Saturday night, but once the first bell tolls at the Staples Centre and Klitschko and Sanders vie to land the first punch, nothing will be make-believe in this superficial town.

The punches and the pain will be real.

AP news

Ken Peters

LOS ANGELES - Vitali Klitschko wants to exit the arena smiling instead of scowling this time, and leave his fans cheering rather than booing.

Klitschko, who lost to Lennox Lewis on cuts at Staples Center last June, gets another shot at the heavyweight title Saturday night, facing Corrie Sanders for the WBC version left vacant when Lewis retired.

"I didn't lose that fight. Everybody was unhappy. I was very disappointed," said Klitschko, who was ahead on points but bleeding heavily around his left eye when Lewis was declared the winner after the sixth round.

"Now I know I am going against a very strong fighter in this fight, and I will give it all my best."

Lewis is back, but as an adviser to Sanders, the 38-year-old South African who seemed just another fighter down in the ranks until he stopped Klitschko's brother, Wladimir, in the second round on March 8, 2003.

Sanders won Wladimir Klitschko's WBO heavyweight crown, but vacated it without making a defense.

The win, however, certainly cast Sanders in a different light in the heavyweight picture.

"Wladimir was considered one of the best fighters in the heavyweight division, and now I'm getting a lot of respect around the world," said Sanders, 39-2 with 29 knockouts. Vitali Klitschko, a native of the Ukraine, is 33-2, with 32 knockouts.

Predictably, Lewis predicts Sanders will win.

"All he has to do is hit him in the face," Lewis said. "Once you've been cut very bad in boxing, especially three or four cuts in the same vicinity, if you hit that spot a few times, it should open up.

"Of course, you never know if that is going to happen in this fight."

Although he was behind on points when he fought Klitschko, Lewis felt he was picking up steam while the challenger was tiring.

"Stamina was definitely going to be a factor," Lewis said. "I was beginning to come back."

Wladimir Klitschko, considered by many to be the better boxer of the brothers, has been vulnerable to being knocked out. He was stopped by Lamon Brewster in their recent bout for the WBO heavyweight title.

Lewis indicated that Vitali probably can take a punch better than his brother.

"I hit him with some good shots," Lewis said. "I think he showed the world that he's a heavyweight who should be taken seriously."

That was Lewis' final fight before he retired.

Vitali Klitschko's only loss before the Lewis fight was to Chris Byrd.

Klitschko said he and his brother still have a dream of being world champions at the same time, but acknowledged Wladimir's recent loss was a setback.

"Maybe the dream will just take a little bit longer," Vitali said. "I'm doing everything I can to make our dream come true."

Sanders said the brothers seem to have similar styles.

"Wladimir has more skills, but Vitali is stronger and tougher," Sanders said.

Vitali Klitschko, 32, is some 3 inches taller than the 6-4 Sanders.

"Bigger, taller, if you can hit a guy with the proper shots, he can go down," Sanders said. "Anybody."

AP news

Sanders hoping lightning strikes twice against Klitschkos

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Corrie Sanders will try to complete one of the most intriguing one-two combinations in heavyweight history when he fights Vitali Klitschko for the World Boxing Council title vacated by Lennox Lewis.

Having already beaten Wladimir, the 38-year-old left-handed South African hopes to etch his name in boxing lore with a victory over the older Klitschko brother, Vitali, when they square off Saturday at Staples Centre.

"I have this opportunity, and I have to take it with both hands," Sanders said on Wednesday. "At age 38, I've got nothing to lose. I feel like I am 32 years old."

Sanders, who fought his first pro fight 15 years ago in Cape Town, is finally seeing the rewards of his hard work even if it means his first WBC title shot comes in the twilight of his career.

"This could have happened six or seven years ago, but at least I've got it now," Sanders said. "This is the title everyone will recognize. For me, whatever happens, I can say I've had a nice career."

Sanders (39-2, 29 KOs) will try and make it a clean sweep over the Klitschkos. Vitali, 32, will be looking to avenge his brother's loss to Sanders a year ago in Hannover, Germany. Sanders knocked Wladimir down four times in the first two rounds.

Wladimir was also beaten earlier this month by Lamon Brewster in a heavyweight bout.

Sanders says Vitali (33-2, 32 KOs) will pose a stronger challenge.

"I expect a tougher fight than Wladimir," said Sanders, who has been training the past seven weeks in Los Angeles. "He looks strong, and he showed it in his fight with Lennox Lewis. But I am going to surprise a lot of people when it goes to the later rounds."

Sanders feels he has the mental edge and can go the distance.

"At that time everybody was saying that Wladimir was the best in the heavyweight division and I proved everybody wrong," Sanders said.

"I look forward to fighting Vitali. I want to get in there and get out and be the champion."

Sanders compiled an amateur record of 180-11 and over nine years captured seven South African national amateur championships.

But he was denied the opportunity to compete in the Olympics because of South Africa's apartheid policy.

He almost retired four years ago after suffering a loss to Hasim Rahman. Sanders returned to South Africa and established a hunting farm, with herds of Kudu and Eland, before getting the urge to step back in the ring.

Sanders had hoped that South African golfing superstar Ernie Els, who spends much of the season playing on the US PGA Tour, was going to be at ringside on Saturday.

But Els is flying home to South Africa and isn't expected to return to North America for a few weeks, said Sanders, who is good friends and a golfing buddy of 'The Big Easy'.

Oscar winner Charlize Theron, another South African, has been given an invite to sit a ringside.

"It means a lot in South Africa," Sanders said. "Everybody is talking about it. I hope that on Saturday night I can put boxing back on the map in South Africa."

If he wins the WBC title, Sanders would join compatriots Gerrie Coetzee, who beat American Michael Dokes for the World Boxing Association title in 1983, and Francois Botha, who decisioned Axel Schulz of Germany for the International Boxing Federation title in 1995, among the ranks of heavyweight champions.

Covers.com

Great white fight in Tinseltown

Reed Holmes

When news first began to break that Wladimir Klitschko had been knocked out, like many fight fans, I thought he had been beaten by a journeyman American boxer named Corey Sanders.

Turns out he was knocked out by a little known white South African with the same name but a slightly different spelling.

In what has become a thing of legend, Corrie Sanders had been building a name for himself more as a scratch golfer than a heavyweight contender when he rocketed himself into the boxing spotlight.

It all happened last March in Hanover, Germany when Sanders (39-2-0, 29 KOs) was enticed to leave the golf course for a payday against Klitschko (42-3-0, 39 KOs), one of the most hyped white heavyweights in years.

The former cop shocked everyone, including himself, when he KO'd the 1996 Olympic gold medal winner in spectacular fashion in the second round. A southpaw, Sanders dropped Klitschko with thundering left bombs the pugilist professor never saw coming.

Sanders captured the lightly regarded WBO heavyweight with the win. More importantly, he instantly won recognition and respect in the boxing world.

Like many, I had never seen or heard of Sanders prior to the fight, and when I saw the replay of the fight I never expected to see a white guy. The way he chopped down Klitschko along with his jubilant ring celebration had Hollywood written all over it.

It was like some sort of mixed up Rocky movie - A no-name pug (Stallone in Rocky 1) upsets an intimidating Ukrainian giant (Ivan Drago in Rocky IV).

After more than a year, the sequel to this fascinating drama is about to take place, with a bit of a twist. Rather than a rematch with Wladimir, Sanders will have to contend with big brother Vitali.

Vitali, who was working his brother's corner that night in Hanover, was none to happy to see his little bro crumpled on the canvas. After the fight, he confronted Sanders in the ring. Some words were exchanged and Vitali vowed revenge.

Vitali gets his chance for revenge this Saturday when squares off with Sanders for the vacant WBC heavyweight title at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in what is the most intriguing heavyweight fight since Lewis-Tyson.

Sanders, who's 6-foot-4 and about 230 pounds, will have a lot more trouble with Vitali (33-2-0, 32KOs) than Wladimir. At 6-foot-7 1/2 and nearly 250 pounds, Vitali is slightly taller and a little heavier on average than his little brother.

And despite the prior hype about Wladimir, who is now considered a bust after his knockout loss to another journeyman Lamon Brewster, Vitali is a better fighter. Perhaps his style is not as refined - something a lot of boxing writers always liked to point out. But he hits harder, can take a punch better and has tons more heart.

Personally, I have always liked Vitali's thudding, "I-will-break-you" style. Whereas, I've always thought the younger Klitschko was overrated, especially after his timid fight with Jameel McCline, a fight McCline could have won if he hadn't been so spooked by the Klitschko hype.

Vitali enters the fight having impressed many with his valiant performance against an out-of-shape Lennox Lewis last June, followed by his destruction of a grotesquely overweight Kirk Johnson in December.

Sanders, meanwhile, has not had a fight since his surprise upset over Klitschko. Inactivity can be dangerous when you're a prizefighter. Just ask Lewis, who had not fought in more than a year when he faced Vitali.

Lewis showed a lot of ring rust in that fight and he was losing on the judges' scorecards when the ring referee stopped the fight as a result of a severe cut above Klitschko's eye.

Oddsmakers certainly think Sanders is headed for trouble against Vitali. Offshore sportsbook CRIS, for instance, has Sanders listed as a longshot at +270 and Klitschko as a strong favorite at -340.

Bet365 likes Sanders' chances even less, listing him as a heavy underdog at +350 and Klitschko a huge favorite at -600.

I'm not convinced this is going to be a walk in the park for Vitali. First of all, I think Klitschko's performance against Lewis was a little over-stated. Lewis was clearly out-of-shape and was not mentally into the fight.

And other than his second round harpooning of Kirk Johnson, Klitschko's only other big name opponent was Chris Byrd, whom he lost to in 2000 in a ninth round TKO (Klitschko claimed an injured shoulder and the bout was stopped).

Of course, it's not like Sanders has faced all the top dogs in the division. Besides the younger Klitschko, Sanders only other marquee opponents include Hasim Rahman, to whom he lost in a seventh round TKO in 2000, and Smokin' Bert Cooper, whom he knocked out in three rounds way back in 1993.

But there are a couple of factors that favor Sanders. First of all, he has that vicious left that will give Klitschko loads of trouble.

And once again, he's going in as the underdog with nothing to lose. After all, he's the no-name bum who surprised the boxing world. If it all ended tomorrow, Sanders probably wouldn't care, he'd just return to the golf course.

Klitschko, on the other hand, has much more to lose. He has the pressure of being the favorite. He also has the burden of avenging his brother's humiliating loss. And he is now responsible for defending the Klitschko name since a loss will almost certainly relegate the Klitschkos to B-class status.

Saturday night's fight will be compelling regardless of who wins. The victor will have the honor of being the linear heavyweight champion - "the man who beat the man" dating back to 1885.

And go figure, it's two white guys fighting for the heavyweight championship. The last time a white boxer sat in the linear heavyweight throne was Sweden's Ingemar Johansson in 1959.

Iol.co.za

Sanders could write name in annals of boxing

By Bongani Magasela

Trainer Harold Volbrecht has a special task of guiding Corrie Sanders to a historic victory against Vitali Klitschko for the WBC heavyweight title in Los Angeles on Saturday night (Sunday morning South African time).

A win will see the 37-year-old left-handed Pretorian become the first local heavyweight boxer ever to win the lucrative WBC heavyweight belt.

Gerrie Coetzee flattened American Michael Dokes in 10 rounds for the WBA title in Ohio in 1983 while Francois Botha outpointed German Axel Schulz for the IBF belt in 1995 in the same weight class.

'We wish him the best of luck' Sanders, the former WBU and WBO title holder, has everything going for him to upset the German-based Ukrainian.

He has the speed of a middleweight and is also a very awkward southpaw to box against. Sanders has already predicted a short-route win.

However, former WBC super middleweight Dingaan Thobela warned that Sanders "must not underestimate Klitschko".

"Obviously we wish him the best of luck," said one of South Africa's most celebrated pugilist.

Sanders left about 10 000 Germans speechless in March when he easily dismantled their hero Vladimir Klitschko in two rounds to win the WBO belt in Hanover.

However, Sanders, did not defend his belt. Instead he relinquished it two months later to pave way for the WBC showdown with Vitali Klitschko.

Klitschko will not only be looking at making up for his sixth round loss to former WBC holder Lennox Lewis last June, but will also be trying to avenge his younger brother's defeat.

Lewis retired a few months back, and the title became vacant. But his victory against Klitschko was met by huge protests.

Klitschko had a deep cut above his left eye, but led on the judges' scorecards when officials ruled he was not fit to continue.

In carrying out the task of steering Sanders to another upset on Saturday night, Volbrecht will need to pull out something special.

Sanders boasts 39 wins (29 knockouts) and two losses.

Superboxing.co.za

Bookies rate Sanders 5/1 by Ron Jackson

Los Angeles will host a world heavyweight title fight for only the second time in 45 years when Vitali Klitschko and Corrie Sanders meet for the vacant WBC belt at the Staples Centre on Saturday. It is the same venue where Klitschko challenged Lennox Lewis for the WBC title on June 21 last year.

Leading British bookmakers report that notable bets have been placed on Sanders. The South African is 5/1 with several betting groups but this could be shortened to 3/1 at fight time if the same volume of money continues to be placed on him. It seems a lot of money has been placed on him to win inside three rounds.

Prior to that fight, LA last saw a heavyweight title bout on 18 August 1958 when Floyd Patterson retained his crown for third time with a 13th-round technical knockout over Roy Harris at the old Wrigley Field.

Klitschko will have to go to war once again to defeat the motivated Sanders. The winner will be considered the new king of the heavyweight division.

Klitschko, 33-2 (32), from Kiev, Ukraine but now based in Los Angeles, is coming off of a second-round stoppage win over Kirk Johnson in December last year. It was his first fight since the controversial loss to Lewis as a result of cuts at a time when he was leading on all the scorecards.

Sanders, 39-2 (29), will attempt to become the first boxer to defeat both Klitschko brothers. In his last fight, in March 2003, the southpaw came in as the underdog and knocked out Wladimir Klitschko in two rounds to win the WBO heavyweight belt.

He gave up the belt without defending it and his decision saw him catapult into the WBC ratings, which has landed him with this huge opportunity. Sanders suffered his last defeat on 20 May 2000 when he lost by a seventh-round TKO to former world champion Hasim Rahman.

It has been reported from his training camp in Los Angeles that 38-year-old Sanders is in the best shape of his life. He should weigh in at about 102 kg and will be about 10 kg lighter than the 32-year-old Klitschko.

Hand speed will be the key for Sanders against the cumbersome Klitscho, who stands just over 2 m, which gives him a height advantage of about 10 cm.

Klitschko has been the distance only once in his career � against Timo Hoffman in November 2000 � whereas Sanders has been to points on ten occasions, with 27 of his inside-the-distance wins coming inside the first three rounds.

Klitschko, now trained by Emanuel Steward, will certainly adopt a tight defence strategy. He may use the same crossed-arms defence employed by former light-heavyweight legend Archie Moore and hope to prevent the faster Sanders from scoring early.

Should the Ukrainian survive the early rounds he will use his greater weight and strength to lean on Sanders to tire him out with the aim of a late stoppage.

Local fight personalities Bert Blewett, editor of Boxing World magazine, Kallie Knoetze, former heavyweight contender, and Terry Pettifer, boxing publicist, all believe Sanders will win by knockout.

A look inside Sanders training camp. Click here

Compubox analysis of Sanders-Klitschko. Click here

Speed is the key for grumpy Corrie

Trainer says Sanders is in 'fantastic shape' ahead of WBC heavyweight championship showdown against Vitali Klitschko

David Isaacson / Suntimes.co.za

Corrie Sanders is struggling on the golf courses of Los Angeles. But when it comes to boxing, he may have an easier time against Vitali Klitschko on Saturday night.

The most telling portent, perhaps, is his changing mood. "He's getting gatvol," says manager Vernon Smith. "He's grumpy but that's good. Those are the signs I'm looking for."

Sanders, a professional golfer wannabe and part-time boxer for much of his career, bids for the WBC heavyweight crown vacated by Lennox Lewis. He's been in camp in LA (the gym he's using is less than 2km from Klitschko's house) since mid-March.

He's been training twice a day. "What I miss most are my children," says Sanders, "and boerekos [home cooking]."

His hectic training, however, has affected his golf. The best score he's shot in the US was a 78 this week, a disappointing round for someone on the verge of a scratch handicap.

"The poor guy's body is so sore [from training]," points out Smith, whose nickname, "Mamba", comes from golf - for spending so much time in the long grass.

Between training and golf, the pair haven't even had time to visit Disneyland. But the bottom line is that Sanders is in fantastic shape, says Smith. "Better than he was against Wladimir Klitschko [Vitali's younger brother]."

Smith predicts Sanders will weigh in around 102kg - the same as when he demolished Wladimir on March 8 last year. Vitali was 112kg when he fought Lennox Lewis last year.

Speed will be the key for Sanders against a giant who stands just over 2m, a significant height advantage of about 10cm. In rugby terms, Klitschko is at best a lumbering lock. Sanders, on the other hand, played flyhalf and centre for the Northern Transvaal schools' team at Craven Week.

But it's the Ukrainian's bulk that is impressing pundits.

On the official Klitschko website, nearly 75% of readers are predicting a knockout win for the Ukrainian. But almost 15% reckon the South African will win inside the distance. Ladbrokes bookmakers have Klitschko the 1/7 favourite and Sanders the 4/1 underdog.

Just more than 10% of Klitschko's website readers think the fight will go the scheduled 12 rounds. They must be mad.

Klitschko, 32, has been the distance only once in his career. His record reads 33 victories, 32 by stoppage, and two losses.

Sanders, 38, has been to points on 10 occasions. His record is 39-2 (29 KOs). Twenty-seven of those stoppages came inside the first three rounds.

The Klitschko strategy - to be devised by Emanuel Steward, the legendary trainer of Tommy Hearns and, more recently, Lewis - will surely involve tight defence and trying to lean on Sanders at every opportunity in the early rounds to tire him out.

"He likes to tie up his opponents," says Smith. "I will take it up with the referee before the fight."

Sanders, under the astute mentorship of Harold Volbrecht, will want to capitalise on his speed - whether the fight ends in a knockout or goes to the scorecards.

One question hanging over Vitali was the knockout defeat last weekend of Wladimir, also his training partner, to American Lamon Brewster.

Wladimir claims it was the result of a health problem detected only in a subsequent blood test. But perhaps his poor conditioning was the result of bad training techniques, in which case Vitali may suffer a similar fate.

One of the biggest questions over Sanders's ability has been his mental strength, especially self-belief. But he has worked on that with a sports psychologist for some time.

Before the Wladimir fight, Sanders saw his opponent and commented that his shoulders - an indication of punching power - were rather small. That helped give him confidence.

After standing toe-to-toe with Vitali at a press conference last month, Sanders was anything but overawed. " Hy's nie so groot nie [he's not so big]."

There are some clear parallels between the build-up to this fight and the Wladimir bout. And if they mean anything, Vitali, like his brother, will end up lying on the canvas.

Thanks to all who voted in the poll. It was about 550 for Sanders to win by tko or decision, to about 350 for Klitschko to win. That poll somehow broke so here's a new one.

Sanders media workout quotes-

�I am ready for the fight. I am on my weight right now, maybe even a little lighter than normal. I am in 200 percent condition.�

�The pressure is on Vitali. You saw what happened to his brother (Wladimir). It could happen to him.�

�Lennox Lewis told me that Vitali lies on you and tries to get you inside. I have been training for him. I will be ready.�

�I do not take what Vitali said to me after I knocked out his brother personally. He said the belt belongs to the Klitschko family. That is just boxing. If he takes it personally, that could be his downfall.�

�I know we had told people we were training in Las Vegas, but for the past six or seven weeks, we have training right here in Los Angeles. This is a great area and it is very close tot the water.�

Corrie Sanders gave an interview to the press. *Link fixed Click here to read it.

At Fightnews.com both Sanders and Klitschko made some brief comments about the fight. Click here

Superboxing.co.za

Sanders to prepare in States by Marisa le Roux

South Africa's heavyweight boxing hope Corrie Sanders has already arrived in the United States for his bout with Vitali Klitschko on April 24. It was initially thought that Sanders would hold a media conference in Los Angeles last week and then return to South Africa before travelling to the United States again a fortnight before the fight.

However, Sanders's manager, Vernon Smith, said from "somewhere in California" on Wednesday that they had always intended to stay on in the US for the bout.

"Corrie, trainer Harold Volbrecht and sparring partners Sebastiaan Rothmann and Osborne Machimana are all here. We wanted to give Corrie enough time to acclimatise," said Smith.

He said Sanders was in good shape and full of confidence. He was not intimidated by the prospect of facing up to Klitschko, who was bigger than the South African.

By JOHN NADEL, AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES - One Klitschko down, one to go for late-blooming Corrie Sanders to become the WBC heavyweight champion.

Sanders stopped Wladimir Klitschko by technical knockout in the second round for the WBO heavyweight title a little over a year ago. In his first fight since, he'll face Wladimir's older brother, Vitali, for the WBC title April 24 at Staples Center.

So, who's the more difficult opponent?

"It's hard to say. Everybody says Wladimir's better," Sanders said Friday at a news conference introducing the fighters. "I know my abilities. I'm very confident I can do the same thing (against Vitali)."

Wladimir was generally considered the Klitschko with the brighter future before the Sanders fight. Vitali's stock rose greatly with his effort against then-champion Lennox Lewis nine months ago, when he was ahead on points before losing because of cuts in the sixth round.

That was the final fight for Lewis, who announced his retirement last month. That left the WBC title vacant, with Klitschko and Sanders listed as the top two challengers.

"What I've seen on tape, Wladimir is the better of the two," said Sanders' manager, Harold Volbrecht. "Vitali is the more awkward fighter. We think Wladimir has a little more speed than Vitali. I don't think there's a lot of heavyweights in the world who can match Corrie Sanders' speed.

"I just think Sanders is a more polished fighter than Vitali. I believe speed outperforms power."

Sanders, a 38-year-old South African, said if he beats Vitali, he'll probably give his brother a rematch. And if he loses, he'll likely retire.

"It's not if I win, it's when I win," Sanders said. "(Wladimir) wants to fight me again. I would love to fight him again."

Sanders, 39-2 with 29 knockouts, vacated his WBO championship to fight for the WBC title.

"That's the prestige title of the world � the title everybody recognizes," he said. "It's a great honor for me. I'm looking forward to fighting Vitali. We've got family business to do."

Klitschko, 33-2 with 32 knockouts, said the 12-round title bout is special because he has two dreams � to become champion and avenge his brother's loss.

"The most important point is he beat my brother," Klitschko said. "I don't want to make the same mistake as my brother. In my personal opinion, the strongest fighter in the world is my brother. He knocked my brother out."

The Klitschko brothers are Ukrainians who have spent time in Los Angeles.

Vitali Klitschko's only loss before the Lewis fight was to Chris Byrd. Wladimir later beat Byrd by decision.

Vitali smiled when asked if Lewis retired because he didn't want to fight him again.

"He waited a long time (to announce his retirement)," Klitschko said "There are so many questions. I don't want to make more speculation for that. It's a good question for Lennox Lewis, not me."

Klitschko rebounded from his loss to Lewis by stopping Kirk Johnson in the second round Dec. 6 at Madison Square Garden.

"On that night, anybody could have beat Kirk Johnson. He was overweight," Sanders said.

Suntimes.co.za / David Issacson

Is Corrie Sanders getting the right sparring? That's the big question in the build-up to his ultimate fight against Vitali Klitschko for the vacant WBC title in Los Angeles on April 24. No international sparring has yet been organised for Sanders. When he fought Klitschko's brother, Wladimir, last year, they brought out American strongman Ross Puritty, who at that point was the only man to have beaten the Ukrainian. For Vitali, however, Corrie has been sparring with only one genuine heavyweight in local Osborne Machimana. And with all due respect, there's a gulf between the abilities of Vitali and Machimana. There's still time to organise good sparring at his training camp in the US.

There was a lot of secrecy surrounding Sanders's training camp. According to manager Vernon Smith, they were to go to ground in Belfast. When I asked someone close to the camp if it was Belfast, Mpumalanga, or Belfast in Ireland, they couldn't answer (Smith presumably hadn't given them enough details of the deception). When I asked another source, he replied: "I don't know what the f*** is going on." Anyway, Corrie and company headed straight to camp in the US early this week. Why the secrecy ? Who knows, but hopefully it won't adversely affect Corrie's preparations.

Corrie and Kallie in tears

Superboxing.co.za

Corrie Sanders and Kallie Knoetze showed that big boys do cry when they met at a training session near Brits on Tuesday.

Sanders, who meets Vitali Klitschko for the vacant WBC heavyweight championship in Los Angeles on April 24, was moved to tears when former SA heavyweight champion Knoetze got up to add to the motivation Sanders will need.

"I know he's going to win. I looked him in the eye and I could see the intensity of his emotion. He's going to win," said a tearful Knoetze, who will celebrate his 51st birthday on the day of the fight.

The 38-year-old Sanders was frank to reporters about his future in boxing. "If I lose, it will be my last fight. If I win, I will fight Wladimir Klitschko in a rematch and then retire."

He made no bones about being the underdog against Vitali. "I was the underdog last time. Nobody gave me a chance. I am the underdog again and I look forward to it. I give myself a great chance," Sanders said.

Harold Volbrecht, who trains Sanders, said the big man from Pretoria has been greatly underrated ia career spanning 15 years and 41 fights. "He should have had this opportunity years ago. There's no way Vitali can match Corrie's speed. Corrie fights like a light heavyweight and throws twice as many punches as a conventional heavyweight."

Corrie, who also has a southpaw advantage, will have sparring partners Sebastiaan Rothmann and Osbourne Machiamana joining him in a camp in America in early April. They will be in Los Angeles a week before the big fight.

Sabcnews.com

Corrie Sanders is confident of a victory against Klitschko

Corrie Sanders, the former two-times world heavyweight champion, has intensified his preparations for his upcoming world title fight. Sanders faces Germany-based Ukranian Vitali Klitschko in Los Angeles next month for World Boxing Council's heavyweight title vacated by Lennox Lewis earlier this year. Sanders and his camp left today for an undisclosed location in Mpumalanga.

After winning the WBO heavyweight title from Vitali's younger brother Vladimir last year, there was a talk of a big showdown between Sanders and Lennox Lewis, the WBC champion. However, that never materialised, Lewis decided to retire after his unimpressive win over Vitali Klitschko.

"It looks like Vitali's got a big heart and is the guy that can stay in there. But if I catch him, who knows he'll probably go down also," said Sanders.

Kallie Knoetzee, one of South Africa's most colourful boxers, wished Sanders well. "It is my birthday on April 24, so he must give me a big present, and I hope as a South African that our guy will bring back the world title."

If Sanders beats Klitchko, he will probably defend it just once, against Vladimir Klitchko, who is Vitali's brother, before retiring. Defeat would bring the curtain down on Sanders's career.

Secondsout.com

Sanders believes he has Klitschko voodoo

By Anthony Evans:

Fans are saying Klitschko will knock him out inside four rounds, critics are saying Klitschko is by far the best heavyweight walking the earth and bookmakers make Klitschko a massive favourite. But WBC heavyweight title co-challenger Corrie Sanders has heard it all before and, when he thinks of his April 24 fight with Vitali Klitschko, he can't help but feel like people are forgetting that he starched brother Wladimir Klitschko last March.

Speaking from South Africa, Sanders said: "Obviously I've heard all the talk about Vitali being the best heavyweight in the world and the man who is going to take the heavyweight division into the future but I heard exactly the same things about Wladimir before I beat him."

Given zero chance when he travelled to Germany last March to fight for the WBO title, the South African southpaw smashed the younger Klitschko to pieces inside two rounds in which saw the giant Ukraine was bounced around the ring like squash ball.

Now Vitali, five years the elder sibling at 32, will try and avenge his brother's defeat in the vacant title collision at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Sanders, a quiet but nevertheless confident man, isn't making silly predictions but at the same time is unperturbed by Vitali's reputation. Happy to be the underdog again, the former undefeated WBO and WBU title-holder is confident of doing the double over the Klitschko clan.

He said: "Even after I knocked him out last year a lot of people say Wladimir is the better Klitschko. I dunno, because they are different types of fighter. I think Wladimir is the better boxer, while Vitali looks stronger and tougher so they present different problems in the ring. But I could hit Wladimir very easily with my hand speed and if he is the better boxer then Vitali will be easy to hit, too."

Sanders will head to the US east coast next week to do the bulk of the donkeywork what, at age 38 and in his fifteenth year as a pro, will be the biggest fight of his career.

Superboxing.co.za

Corrie follows Charlize

Corrie Sanders may fight Vitali Klitschko in Los Angeles, where actress Charlize Theron recently became the first South African to win an Oscar. The April 24 meeting was set for Las Vegas, but German promoters Universum have announced that the WBC heavyweight championship fight will be staged at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.

For Sanders it means representing South Africa in the city where Ms Theron received the Oscar for best actress in her role in the movie Monster. For Klitschko, who now lives in Los Angeles, it will be a return to the arena where he challenged Lennox Lewis last year and lost on a stoppage because of cuts.

His brother Wladimir, who was knocked out by Sanders last year, will face Lamon Brewster for the vacant WBO title two weeks earlier in Las Vegas.

Iol.co.za

Sanders plans to seize belated opportunity

By John Mehaffey

London - Two years short of his 40th birthday Lennox Lewis decided last week the time had come to quit boxing while still World Boxing Council (WBC) champion.

At the same age South African Corrie Sanders has spotted a belated chance for fame and fortune with a projected fight for the vacant title against Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko in April.

"I've never had the opportunities," Sanders said in an interview on Wednesday. "I'm a southpaw, guys don't want to fight me. And at last opportunities came for me.

"Even if it's at the age of 38, I still feel like a 32 or 31-year-old guy, I still believe I've got a year or two in me.

"My goal is to win a WBC title and defend it once or twice and then retire."

At a news conference on Wednesday, Sanders's manager Vernon Smith said negotiations had begun with Klitschko but added there was a possibility he could try to avoid the fight.

Klitschko, beaten by Lewis in his final fight last June, is the number one WBC contender while Sanders is number two after beating the Ukrainian's brother Vladimir last year for the World Boxing Organisation belt.

Sanders has an impressive record, winning 39 of his 41 fights. Thirty have been concluded before the fifth round.

But his opponents have been nonentities and he has fought only three times in the last three years.

Still, in possibly the weakest era in the history of heavyweight boxing, Sanders knows he will never have a better chance to win a title and make some money.

"We know it's a great opportunity we're getting and we are just putting more effort in and training hard in the mornings and late at night," he said.

"It's going to be very big in South Africa and hopefully it will put boxing back on the map in South Africa."