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Sanders mulls over retirement
26/04/2004 08:44 - (SA)
Los Angeles - A battered and bruised Corrie Sanders said on Sunday he is considering throwing in the towel on his 15-year heavyweight boxing career.
The 38-year-old left-handed South African is disappointed he wasn't able to complete one of the most sensational one-two combinations in boxing history and beat both Vitali Klitschko and his younger brother Wladimir.
Vitali stopped Sanders in the eighth round of their title bout in front of about 14 000 at Staples Centre on Saturday for just the third defeat of Sanders' career.
Sanders collected over $900 000 (about R6m) after losing by a technical knockout in a bloody brawl for the World Boxing Council title left vacant by the retirement of Lennox Lewis.
"I think I'm finished," said Sanders, who suffered a broken nose and needed nine stitches for a cut over his left eye.
"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."
Sanders did leave the door slightly open to return if, he says, he can get a rematch with Klitschko.
His manager Vernon Smith wasn't so convinced that this was the end for Sanders, who has enjoyed his greatest success in the twilight of his career.
"It is not time. He told me if there is a good opportunity that comes about we will look at it," Smith said.
Smith also revealed on Sunday that they almost called the fight off three weeks ago when Sanders suffered a back injury in training.
"I nearly stopped the fight," Smith said. "He missed almost a week of training."
Smith said the injury seriously disrupted their training and may explain why Sanders tired so quickly against Klitschko.
"We are not looking for excuses. The doctors told him to take time off and put him on anti-inflammatory medication."
Sanders spent a couple of hours in the hospital after Saturday's entertaining slugfest. Both sides of his face were badly swollen on Sunday and, in addition to the broken nose and stitches, the doctors looked at his left ear which has caused him problems in previous fights.
"It was bleeding but luckily they didn't have to drain it," he said. "They also did a brain scan but it checked out OK. Everything's fine."
The former Pretoria policeman was a big underdog against Vitali.
This was his first fight since knocking out Wladimir on March 6, 2003 in Hannover, Germany. Sanders knocked Wladimir down four times before the bout was stopped.
Sanders said Vitali is the better boxer of the two brothers.
"Vitali is more clever and has got a bigger heart than Wladimir."
Sanders, who has gone 12 rounds just once in his 42 fight career, said he trained hard for the fight.
"I have nothing to be ashamed of," he said. "My big punch just didn't come."
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