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Cornelius Johannes Sanders (born 1967) is a South
Africa|South African boxer. He is the third boxer
from the Africa|African continent to become world
Heavyweight champion, after fellow countrymen
Gerrie Coetzee and Francois Botha.


Sanders began his Boxing|boxing career with a
first round knockout of King Kong Dyubele on April
2, 1989.

He won his first 23 bouts, 15 by knockout. Among
the fighters he defeated during that streak were
Steve Zouski, Art Card, future WBO world
Cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson and future
world title challenger Bert Cooper.

In his 24th bout, on May 21 of 1994, he suffered
his first defeat, at the hands of Nate Tubbs, via
a second round knockout. 

He fought 12 more times over the next five years,
including a first round knockout over former world
Cruiserweight champion Carlos De Leon and a second
round knockout over another former world champion,
Bobby Czyz. A stoppage loss to future heavyweight
champion Hasim Rahman in a bout Sanders was
winning confirmed his ability and also his
vulnerability. Returning to the ring in 2001 he
scored a quick win over Michael Sprott and then
followed this up with a defeat of Otis Tisdale in
2002.

Despite the fact that he had fought only three
rounds in the last two years, the WBO sanctioned a
challenge to their heavyweight champion Wladimir
Klitschko. Speculation had been rife in the boxing
world (boxing magazines, shows, etc) that a
unification bout between Klitschko and World
Boxing Council|WBC world champion Lennox Lewis was
being planned. However, on March 8 of 2003,
Sanders provided a stunning upset in Hanover,
Germany by dropping Klitschko four times to snatch
the Ukrainian's belt in a stunning second round
knockout.

With this win, Sanders joined Coetzee and Botha in
the list of African world heavyweight champions.

In December of 2003, a rumour circulated that
Sanders had lost an eight round bout by decision
in South Africa. As it turned out it was another
South African with a similar name Corry Sanders,
who had participated in the fight.

Sanders vacated the WBO title in December 2003 so
that he could concentrate on a challenge for the
vacant WBC belt. The fight took place on April 24
of 2004, against Wladimir's older brother, Vitali
Klitschko|Vitali. He was stopped by Vitali in the
eighth round at the Staples Center in Los Angeles,
having rocked the Ukrainian early in the contest.
Sanders looked overweight, as if he had not
trained properly and his condition seemed to let
him down  towards the end of the contest.

Following the defeat to Klitschko he signed an
agreement to box for Germany's Universum
Box-Promotion. So far he has boxed once for the
Hamburg based outfit, knocking out Alexei Varakin
in the second round of a contest in Soelden,
Austria, in December 2004.

His record currently stands at 40 wins and 3
losses with 30 wins via knockout.


start box
succession box|
before=Wladimir Klitschko|
title=List of heavyweight boxing champions|WBO
World Heavyweight champion|
years=2003–2003|
after=Lamon Brewster

end box