Former heavyweight boxing champ Corrie Sanders is dead - the victim of a deadly armed robbery in his native South Africa.

The 46-year-old - seen here in 2004 - was shot twice after gunman opened fire in a restaurant in the town of Brits.

Sanders, known as 'The Sniper', lept to fame in 2003 when he defeated Wladimir Kitschko to win the WBO title.

When he retired in 2008, he had only lost four of 46 career bouts.

A successful businessman, Sanders was the only reported victim in Sunday's shooting.

The gunmen were said to have fled with a digital camera and a handbag.