Tete ready to go for broke in the UK
ZOLANI “Last Born” Tete prefers to let his fists do the talking‚ which explained why he kept his sentences short and simple a couple of days ago.
Filipino slugger Arthur “The King” Villanueva stands between Tete and a shot at Marlon Tapales’ WBO bantamweight title on Saturday and the Mdantsane-born boxer made his intentions clear.
“I’m looking forward to the fight. I’m ready‚ I want to win and I’m going to win‚” said Tete.
“I’m going to come back home victorious. I expected the delays in the fight because I’ve been around for quite some time and I know these things.
“As a professional boxer I have to keep going and that’s what I’ve been doing.
“I’ve carried on with my preparations because there was a date.”
The former undefeated IBF junior-bantamweight holder is already looking beyond Saturday’s date with Villanueva at Leicester Arena in England.
The fight was originally set to take place on April 8 at the same venue in England but was postponed to April 22.
The reasons for the postponement were not given.
Tete had been in Johannesburg for eight weeks‚ taking advantage of the benefits that come with training at altitude, before departing for the UK over the Easter weekend for what will be his fourth fight in the UK in two years.
Boxing South Africa chief executive Tsholo Lejaka was in attendance at the Urban Warrior Gym in Parkmore where Tete was wrapping up the last of his preparations a couple of days ago.
“I’m quite surprised that I’m training today and there are so many people around me‚ watching me and wanting to see what I do when I’m at training‚” said Tete.
“It motivates me and I’m looking forward to the fight. Whatever I’ve been doing in this gym‚ I’ll do to Villanueva’s head.
“This fight is a step closer to the world title for me, because I’ve always been about world titles, and not just one.
“I’ve been the IBF champion and I want to be the WBO champion and that will be accomplished in the next two months.”
From a ring perspective‚ South Africa have not had a lot to celebrate but Tete’s constant bouts have given the art some hope.
While he’s had a decent record‚ he longs to entertain South African fans but realised that this is something that’s beyond his control. All he wants to do is to make the country proud.
“I want to fight for the WBA‚ WBC and IBF titles because I believe I’m good enough to get all of them. I can’t take this fight lightly because if I lose‚ then that’s pretty much it for me.
“There won’t be other chances. When I come back‚ I’ll be coming back as Zolani Tete the South African champion‚ not the East London or the Mdantsane champion‚” said Tete.
“I’ve got a lot of support in the UK and I want to entertain them this time around but I want to come and fight at home.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve fought here. I want to come home and entertain my people and fight in South Africa but I’m sure that’ll happen when I clinch the world title.
“I want the world title‚ I’ll bring it home and defend it here.” — TMG