WORLD CHAMP BEGINNING TO PEAK AS BOUT LOOMS
Zolani Tete says he’s having the time of his life in Las Vegas preparing for his title defence under Floyd Mayweather snr
Zolani Tete is engaging in the most enjoyable training camp of his life, his management has revealed. Tete is in Las Vegas, US, wrapping up preparations of his crucial fight at Mayweather gymnasium under the expert eye of legendary trainer Floyd Mayweather snr. He will face Nonito Donaire for the WBO, WBA and WBC diamond bantamweight titles at Cajun Dome in Lafayette, Louisiana on April 27. The fight will also serve as the semifinal clash of the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) with the winner set to advance to the finals to contest for the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Tete left the country last week to benefit from two weeks of training under Mayweather before heading off to Lafayette. And since he started his Las Vegas training camp he and Mayweather have hit it off leaving his management beaming from ear to ear. “This has been the best training camp for Zolani and you can see it in his face that he is enjoying himself,” Tete’s manager Mla Tengimfene said. Part of the training camp saw Tete embarking on a run up the mountain with high altitude to fortify his conditioning. “Zolani passed the programme with flying colours to underline his fitness level,” said Tengimfene. Due to the fight featuring the WBC diamond belt, Tete will be required to undergo the WBC seven-day weigh-in on Friday where he is expected to weigh 56kg or below. Tengimfene said the Mdantsane boxer was already within the limit as he was only a kilogram over. The week of the fight will involve several promotion programmes including a media day workout as well as the press conference on Thursday where Tete will come face-to-face with Donaire. It will be their third meeting after first coming their encounter in Scotland in April last year where they had scheduled bouts. Donaire lost to Carl Frampton in a WBO interim featherweight title challenge while Tete beat Omar Narvaez to retain his WBO bantamweight crown. Before their respective fights, the duo took photos unaware that they would meet a year down the line. Tete and Donaire again met at the WBSS draw in Russia. But Thursday’s meeting will be far from the friendly encounter they enjoyed in Scotland and Russia. “Nonito has been mouthing off and that has lit a fuse in Zolani. “He for is super-motivated this fight.”