Ammon News - AMMONNEWS (AlJazeera) - Former world champion boxer Arturo Gatti has been found dead in a holiday apartment in a northern Brazilian seaside resort with wounds to his neck and head.

Pernambuco state police said they were investigating the death of the 37-year-old Canadian, who was found by his Brazilian wife Amanda in his underwear on Saturday.

There was a bloodied bag handle in the flat, a spokesman said.

"According to his wife, the couple came to spend a second honeymoon for a month and rented a flat, making an advance payment," the spokesman said.

He said no arrests had been made.

Gatti arrived at Porto de Galinhas resort south of the city of Recife with his wife and year-old son on Friday.

Italian-born Gatti, nicknamed Thunder, was IBF Super featherweight champion in 1995 and WBC Super lightweight champion in 2004.

He retired in 2007.

Photo: Gatti fights in New Jersey in 2006 a year before his retirement [GALLO/GETTY]