By Ben Dirs BBC Sport at the Selfridge Hotel, London

Sanders targets Klitschko

Corrie Sanders seems like a thoroughly nice chap.

Only problem is, boxing needs a "nice" world heavyweight champion like it needs a hole in the head right now.

South Africa's Sanders looks set to fight Vitali Klitschko in April for the WBC crown vacated by Lennox Lewis.

If the news conference to announce the clash was anything to go by, it could be a low-key affair.

Even with Lewis in attendance, it was more council AGM than world title promotion.

And this first glimpse of the post-Lewis landscape will have left America's television networks wincing.

But until a new crop of fighters comes through to enrich this fallow division they will just have to make the most of what they have got.

The man from Pretoria came to prominence in March 2003 when he destroyed Vitali's younger brother Wladimir to land the WBO crown.

Conceding nine years, three inches and over a stone, Sanders floored the Ukrainian four times en-route to a stunning knock-out victory.

I'm going to whack Vitali like he's never been whacked before Corrie Sanders

With that, the 38-year-old became the future of heavyweight boxing.

It's easy to forget that Sanders deserves his shot.

He has been in the game 15 years, taken some licks and bided his time.

He must have thought his chance had gone when he was stopped by Hasim Rahman in a WBU title fight back in 2000.

But he knocked out current British champion Michael Sprott in his next bout and two fights later Klitschko junior landed on his mat.

"At last the opportunity has come for me," said Sanders.

"Even though I'm 38 I feel like a 31-year-old and I still believe I've got a couple of years left in me.

"My goal is to win the WBC title, defend it once or twice and then retire.

"Nobody gave me a chance against Wladimir and I'm going to whack Vitali like he's never been whacked before."

Vitali Klitschko destroyed Kirk Johnson in December

That last boast may have some basis in fact - Sanders has stopped 29 of his 41 opponents before the end of the fourth round.

But if Sanders cannot blast Klitschko out, he intends to cut him to ribbons instead.

"He's got soft skin, so I'll hit him from different angles and he'll go."

Whatever happens, Sanders will be prepared for the proposed spring-time clash - he started training five weeks ago on hearing of Lewis' planned retirement.

And he is so confident of victory that he is already looking towards a rematch with Wladimir and a life beyond boxing.

"I'll become heavyweight champion of the world, put the sport back on the map in South Africa, make a lot of money and look to my future.

"I've got a game farm so I'll bring people over from Europe and America and do some hunting."

At 250Ibs a man, the Klitschko brothers probably qualify as big game themselves.