Cracks in Tete camp widen
Mtya heading for exit after fallout with Tengimfene
THE impasse between handlers of the country’s lone world champion Zolani Tete is set to continue with both of them effectively describing their working relationship as over.
The tiff is between Tete’s chief trainer Loyiso Mtya and manager Mla Tengimfene stemming from their public spat after the latter proposed for the beefing up of the technical team.
After Tete won the WBO bantamweight title when he was upgraded to a full champion following his win over Filipino Arthur Villanueva in England in April, Tengimfene proposed for the addition of what he termed a worldclass trainer.
While he insisted that he discussed the matter with Mtya, the latter denied ever being contacted arguing that he only saw the move on a Daily Dispatch poster.
The move sparked a public spat between the two spiralling to a radio interview following the Dispatch story which, according to Tengimfene, all but sealed their future together.
“I do not want to speak about the matter anymore but nothing has changed since our public spat,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Mtya also described the working relations as over, saying he never held a meeting with Tengimfene to resolve the impasse despite Tete pleading them to do so. There were also proposals that provincial sport, recreation and arts MEC Pemmy Majodina could mediate but Mtya pleaded ignorant of the move.
Asked if he had ever met Tengimfene as they are both involved in boxing activities, Mtya said he only met his former colleague in a tournament but they never discussed the matter.
“We spoke about other stuff of our previous engagement and that was that.”
The split, which has caught Tete in the crossfire, has had a ripple effect in local boxing fraternity with several boxing stakeholders calling Dispatch with proposals to intervene to end it.
Mtya said while he had informal talks with several stakeholders it was only former world champion-turned pastor Masibulele “Hawk” Makepula who made a formal bid to call a meeting between them.
“Yes Hawk Makepula called me to propose a meeting and I agreed but I do not know what happened afterwards. But look, this whole thing is history and life continues so I would like to let it go.”
Tete, 28, is currently on a voluntary defence window of his world crown and he was looking to get a first title defence at home.
However he could not secure government support and now Tengimfene said the team was embarking on other plans.
“We will see what transpires from other avenues otherwise Zolani may up end going back to England although his promoter Frank Warren had given him a green light to fight at home if he wants.”
Tete’s voluntary defence window will likely end by December when the WBO forces him to fight a mandatory challenger who is yet to be decided.