German heavyweight boxer Manuel Charr was on Wednesday recovering in hospital

after being shot in a late-night attack at a kebab snack-bar in Essen.

The 30-year-old, who lost his world heavyweight title fight to ex-champion Vitali Klitscho in

2012 in a one-sided bout, was shot late on Tuesday night, and the gunman is still at large.

Police in Essen confirmed to SID, an AFP subsidiary, that they have launched an attempted

murder investigation to catch the offender and armed officers stormed a flat in Essen on

Wednesday morning, but no arrests were made.

Charr underwent emergency surgery after being rushed to hospital in the west German city, but

his life is not in danger and the reason for the attack is not known.

Charr, nicknamed "Diamond Boy", lost his last bout when he was knocked out by Latvia's Mairis

Breidis in Moscow last month having earned a unanimous points win over Australia's Alex Leapai

in May.

This is not the first time Charr, who is of German-Lebanese origin, has got into trouble

outside the ring after being involved in a knife fight in August 2006, after throwing raw eggs

at passers-by on Berlin's busy Kurfuerstendamm street.

Charr faced charges of attempted murder, but was acquitted due to a lack of evidence.

He has a record of 16 knock-outs in 28 wins from 32 bouts with four defeats, three of which

were by knock-out.