Klitschko KOs Sanders for WBC heavys crown

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LOS ANGELES, April 24 (UPI) -- Vitali Klitschko knocked Corrie Sanders out in the eighth round Saturday night and captured the vacant WBC heavyweight crown.

The fight was stopped at 2:46 of the eighth round in what had been an action-packed match at Staples Center in Los Angeles between the top two contenders for the belt that had been held by now-retired Lennox Lewis.

Sanders, who last year beat Klitschko's brother, Wladimir, provided a tough opponent for the Ukrainian with his left-handed counterpunching and his poise, but he suffered and slight bloody nose in the sixth round and was bleeding from a cut over the eye by the time the referee stepped in.

Klitschko's next opponent is a question mark and could be anyone from Lamon Brewster to James Toney or even Mike Tyson.