Tete’s cash ‘windfall’ gets right uppercut
ZOLANI Tete’s team is hopping mad after a report circulated in the media that he stands to earn a whopping $50-million (R614million) if he wins the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS).
Tete has just returned from a media briefing in London where the bantamweight division for which he holds the WBO world title has been included in the WBSS.
Tete and IBF champion Emmanuel Rodriguez and WBA king Ryan Burnett have already been officially confirmed as the participants of the series.
The fourth boxer will be the winner of Japanese sensation Naouya Inoue and Jamie McDonnell, who clash for the WBA regular belt in two weeks time.
The series, which punched off last in the cruiserweight and super-middleweight divisions, has added the bantamweight and junior-welterweight division for its second season.
The financial rewards of the series have been kept under wraps but after it failed to entice one of the giant US networks like HBO or Showtime, it has not yet generated crazy purses for boxers. But the report cited the winner to be on course to claim $50-million, something Tete’s manager, Mla Tengimfene, has vehemently denied.
“The figure is nowhere near that amount and we strongly refute the reports,” he insisted.
“If anything, such reports will bring the taxman to our doors and we do not want that, although our books are in order with SARS.”
Tengimfene, however, refused to disclose the financial rewards Tete would earn for his participation, citing a confidentiality clause each boxer is required to sign before committing.
“Obviously we abide by the clauses we signed but we felt we should set the record straight about what has been reported.”
The final in the cruiserweight between Russian Murat Gassiev and Ukranian Oleksandr Uysk, as well as the one between George Groves and Callum Smith, is yet to be contested.
Tengimfene, who held out to officially commit in the series due to financial negotiations, admitted that the compensation was handsome.
“We are happy about the financial aspect but we cannot reveal the figures.”
But it has been revealed that purses for participants will vary according to marketability and other related issues with bonuses in place when a boxer faces a UK-based opponent.
Series promoter Kalle Sauerland of Germany said the participants would be financially compensated without giving out figures.
The draw will be made in July in Germany with the first bout scheduled to punch off in September or October.
Finals are scheduled for next year in May or June.