The main suspect in the shooting of German heavyweight boxer Manuel Charr earlier this month has given himself up to police in Essen on Monday, according to reports.

Charr, 30, who lost his world heavyweight title fight to ex-champion Vitali Klitscho in 2012 in a one-sided bout, was shot in the stomach following a late night argument in a kebab snack bar in the west German city on September 2.

Despite undergoing emergency surgery, Charr has recovered and posted a video of him training in hospital last week on his Facebook account.

According to both German daily newspapers Bild and Die Welt, the alleged gunman walked into Essen police station with his lawyer on Monday having been on the run for the last 12 days and his arrest warrant had already been issued.

There is history between Charr and the alleged gunman and the boxer had identified the man who shot him to police.

Charr, nicknamed "Diamond Boy", lost his last bout when he was knocked out by Latvia's Mairis Breidis in Moscow in August 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.
Source: AFP