Shock at boxing champ's death

Pretoria - Former world heavyweight boxing champion Corrie Sanders died in Kalafong Hospital on Sunday after being shot in a restaurant in Brits, North West police said.

The boxer was celebrating the birthday of his daughter when three armed men arrived in the restaurant and shot randomly on Saturday night, Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

Sanders, 46, was shot in the hand and stomach.

Ngubane said it appeared that gunmen went to the restaurant with the aim to rob it.

"They shot randomly and took a cellphone of the daughter who was turning 21 years and they also took a bag of another patron in the premises," he said.

Thatch Haven Restaurant owner Johan de Jager told Eyewitness News that a group of men stormed into the restaurant and opened fire.

“Three guys came inside and just started shooting. During the shooting, they shot Corrie.”

Harold Volbrecht, who used to train Sanders was shocked at the news.

“It’s very sad. My heart is broken. It’s just terrible. I can’t believe it happened,” said an emotional Volbrecht.

No arrests have been made but police were investigating a murder case.