Zolani can beat best of them all

ZOLANI Tete would probably be a good man to take shopping with you. Last weekend in Leicester, he fought for one belt and then ended up getting another one for free.

The brilliant South African was set to compete in a final eliminator for the WBO world bantamweight title at the Leicester Arena against Arthur Villanueva, but this was then upgraded to an interim title fight by the governing body after the champion Marlon Tapales was stripped of the title after failing to make weight ahead of his defence against Shohei Omori in Japan.

Zolani duly won the interim belt, outscoring Villanueva by a wide margin, but his secondary status proved to be shortlived. The WBO on Wednesday declared him world champion. It is only what he deserves though because Zolani was a world champion all along in all but name, having previously relinquished an IBF world title due to promotional conflict.

I am delighted that we now have another world champion in our stable along with Terry Flanagan and Billy Joe Saunders. It won’t be too long before the likes of Liam Walsh, Paul Butler, Hughie Fury and Liam Smith or Williams are added to the roll of honour.

Zolani may want to confirm his restored status in the ring and may be after the other champions.

Zhanat Zhakiyanov is in possession of the WBA belt after the Ricky Hatton-trained Kazak unseated the fancied Rau’shee Warren in February, while WBC champ Shinsuke Yamanaka, a formidable prospect.

There is also Lee Haskins, the IBF champion, who is down to fight Ryan Burnett in his next defence. I firmly believe Zolani has got the beating of them all and I wouldn’t be surprised if the name of Guillermo Rigondeaux doesn’t figure in our conversations once the Cuban has accounted for his mandatory in June. — Englishman Frank Warren is Zolani Tete’s promotors