Diego Corrales, a former world champion boxer who scored one of the most memorable knockouts in boxing history, died Monday in a three-vehicle accident near his Las Vegas home.

Corrales was driving a 2007 Suzuki 1000 motorcycle, traveling northbound on Fort Apache Road in the southwest part of the city, when it inexplicably struck the back of a 1997 Honda Accord, Las Vegas police spokesman Sgt. Tracy McDonald said.

McDonald said the motorcycle careened into the southbound lane and, at some point, he was tossed off the bike.

A 2004 Mercedes-Benz traveling in the southbound lane was unable to brake in time. McDonald said the driver, who was not identified, "was unable to avoid striking the motorcycle and possibly the operator of the motorcycle also."

"Diego Corrales lived an 'X Games lifestyle,' " his promoter, Gary Shaw said. "He was a true warrior. He did everything hard and fast. He loved anything to the extreme. He was the kind of guy in the ring you never had to worry about quitting. I don't know how many times he would say, 'They'll have to kill me first.' "

Corrales' wife, Michelle, who is seven months pregnant, was on the scene and identified the body shortly after 11 p.m. PT. The accident occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m. McDonald said there was no outward evidence of drugs or alcohol involved.

He could not say how fast the motorcycle was traveling.

"There is still a lot of evidence to go through," McDonald said.