Former World Heavyweight boxing champion, Corrie Sanders' family are still trying to come to terms with his passing(SABC)
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The family of former World Heavyweight boxing champion, Corrie Sanders, says it still feels like a dream that he is no more.
Sanders was shot and killed during an armed robbery near Pretoria. He suffered gunshot wounds while attending a birthday party at a restaurant, and later died in hospital.
"That was devastating. We did not think that it was real, it sounded like a movie. I have never witnessed something like that in my life before and I have lost my brother in this whole event which is sad," says Sanders' brother, Michael, who witnessed the robbery.
He says that the family is battling to deal with the tragedy.
That was devastating. We did not think that it was real, it sounded like a movie.
Meanwhile, Boxing South Africa (BSA) has described the death as a big blow to the country's boxing fraternity. BSA chairperson, Ngconde Balfour, says the news is shocking adding that Sanders had played an important role in the development of the sport in the country.
"We really feel that these things should not happen to people who are icons who can help BSA ensure that future champions of this country are trained and educated. Our condolences then to his family and to the boxing fraternity at large," says Balfour.
Sanders was 46. He held the heavyweight titles of both the World Boxing Organisation and the World Boxing Union. Sanders's most famous win was his 2003 upset of Wladimir Klitschko with a second-round knockout to take the WBO title.
