Tete roots for Yamanaka

ZOLANI Tete will be rooting for Japanese boxer Shinsuke Yamanaka to beat Luis Nery when they clash in a WBC bantamweight title rematch in Kokugikan in Japan today.

While Tete had already made inroads with the Nery camp to engage in a unification of their WBO and WBC titles, the Mexican forfeited his crown on the scales when he could not make the weight at yesterday’s weigh-in ceremony.

Nery reportedly scaled 123 pounds for the 118 limit and after going for a two-hour run only managed two pounds. He automatically forfeited the WBC title meaning only Yamanaka is eligible to claim the crown if he wins today.

If Nery wins or the fight ends in a draw the title will stay vacant.

That would throw a spanner in Tete’s unification aspirations which he has been hoping will cement his status as the best in the division.

To have any hopes of pursuing the unification dream, he will have to hope Yamanaka wins and then engage the Japanese in negotiations about risking their titles.

“There is no other option now besides Yamanaka winning the fight,” said Tete’s manager Mla Tengimfene.

Tete had hoped to lure Irish Ryan Burnett into a unification bout, but the latter wants nothing to do with him.

Instead Burnett relinquished the IBF title he won by beating Lee Haskins to hold only the WBA crown.

Despite the obvious reluctance of Burnett to come on board the Tete camp has not given up as yet.

Tete is currently busy preparing for his WBO mandatory title defence against Argentinian veteran Omar Narvaez at SSE Arena in Belfast in Northern Ireland which is Burnett’s backyard.

One of Tete’s promoters George Warren confirmed to the Daily Dispatch the fight was taken to Belfast to keep pressure on Burnett to face Tete.

“Hopefully he will finally buckle under pressure and come on board,” he said.