Big Tete split on the cards

Veteran trainer has beef with boxer’s manager

THE marriage between the country’s lone world boxing champion Zolani Tete and veteran trainer Loyiso Mtya is all but over after Mtya vowed never to return training the boxer until the impasse between him and their manager is resolved.

Mtya is locked in a bitter dispute with Tete’s manager Mla Tengimfene after the latter said he would hire a world-class trainer as part of Tete’s technical team.

Tengimfene said he discussed the issue with Mtya but Mtya has since denied ever been informed until he saw it in a Dispatch report. Tengimfene said he called a meeting of the members of All Winners Boxing Club where Mtya is the chief trainer to discuss the issue but Mtya never pitched up at the meeting.

Mtya confirmed to seeing the invite for the meeting but decided against attending it.

“I did not understand why an issue involving me should be discussed by other members who are not affected by it,” he said.

The split comes just two months after Tete became the country’s lone major world title holder after beating Filipino Arthur Villanueva to capture the vacant WBO bantamweight title in Leciester.

In light of Tete becoming a major title-holder Tengimfene said it was imperative that he boosted his technical team by acquiring the services of a world-class trainer.

But Mtya denied that there was ever any discussion about the issue.

“I saw the story in a Dispatch poster as I was driving through East London but I still did not believe it until I bought the paper and read about it,” said Mtya.

However, Tengimfene reiterated that he held informal discussions with Mtya and his assistants Mhikiza Myekeni and Phumzile Matyhila.

Mtya said he had no objections for a world-class trainer but added that no one in the country has credentials to take Tete to another level.

This after news filtered through that the target is former world champion Vuyani Bungu who once trained Tete when he suffered his only stoppage defeat by Moruti Mthalane in an IBF flyweight title challenge in 2010.

Tengimfene confirmed that Bungu’s name was on the shortlist of targeted trainers.

But Mtya poured scorn on the decision to take a local trainer for the 28-year-old who is a two-division world champion and the only boxer in the land to hold a major world crown.

“Zolani has been with Mnguni (Mzi), Nick Durandt, Vuyani Bungu and now he is on another level. If he were to get someone from abroad I would be receptive but even at that we need a specific person with special training methods because Zolani has almost everything already.”

Mtya said it was bizarre that after making Tete a world champion when he beat Villanueva in Leicester, England in April now there is a talk about bringing someone else.

With Tete commanding a reputation as one of the best defensive boxers in the world, Mtya said he had concentrated on making the boxer invincible.

“I have taught him to make his fights so easy they even end up being boring because he is untouchable. Tete has never lost a round since I came on board let alone a fight. My next strategy now that he is a world champion was to make him more offensive-minded to light up his fights. But if I am not needed I am prepared to go.”

Already Mtya has refused to report to training after Tete reportedly asked him when the training session would restart. “Yes Zolani asked me but I told him that until his manager clarifies things I will not be able to train him.”

This after he sent Tengimfene a series of text messages to clarify his role following the Dispatch report.

“He never replied to my messages so until he does I have too much dignity to go crawling.”

Tete is planning to get back to the ring in September against an opponent yet to be determined when he will be making a voluntary defence. KwaZulu-Natal boxer Siboniso Gonya who is rated fourth for Tete’s title has been mentioned as a possible opponent.