Sanders Throws In Towel After Loss to Klitschko

After a night of soothing his wounds and regaining the focus in his puffy right eye, Corrie Sanders has a clear vision of his future.

He will retire from boxing immediately. Saturday night’s loss to Vitali Klitschko for the vacant World Boxing Council heavyweight title in Staples Center will be the last ring appearance for the 38-year-old South African.

“I think I’m going to take a shot at the senior tour,” said Sanders, who is as devoted to golf as he is to boxing. “Boxing has been very good to me. It’s important that I get out when I can.”

He leaves with a 39-3 record, including 29 knockouts, in a professional career that began in 1989. And he leaves with a split with the Klitschko brothers, having beaten Wladimir on a second-round TKO last year.

There was to be no repeat Saturday. Sanders was bleeding from the nose and left ear and had a badly swollen right eye when the fight was stopped in the final minute of the eighth round.

Although Sanders said he didn’t feel “too bad” overall Sunday, he admitted the swelling had impaired his vision in the right eye

“I must be honest,” Sanders said. “It was hard to see the punches after a while.”

Sanders did not dispute the decision of referee Jon Schorle to halt the bout.

“I could have gone on,” Sanders said, “but I think the referee did the right thing, made the right choice.”

Was he surprised by anything Klitschko did in the ring Saturday night?

“I knew he was strong,” Sanders said, “but I was surprised by how tough it was to get inside on him. He was very clever.”