Amazing chance for Tete
WHEN one door closes another one opens, but we often look so long and regretfully at the closed door that we don t see the one
’ that has opened. That was the case with Zolani Last
“Born Tete the IBF International
” – bantamweight champion whose focus was
– on Lee Haskins.
The Englishman, who holds the actual IBF bantamweight belt, had committed verbally to defending against Tete.
Haskins made the promise prior to witnessing Tete demolish Mexican Victor Ruiz in seven rounds to retain the international belt at Echo Arena in Liverpool on June 4.
Haskins began dilly-dallying defending against the hard-hitting local who has left 20 of his 24 victims counting the stars.
The 28-year-old left-handed Tete, who is touted as one of the best boxers to come out of Africa in recent years confirmed his eyes were firmly fixed on Haskins. It could be that my first world title the “– junior bantamweight belt was also from
– the IBF,” said Tete, who vacated the belt because of the paltry purse he was to earn for his mandatory defence against McJoe Arroyo in Puerto Rico. I was beginning to stress really when “Lee Haskins showed no interest in defending against me,” said Tete. But Tete s manager Mlandeli Tengimfene
’ came with good news that the WBO had approved him to oppose No 1 contender Arthur The Matador Villanueva in an
“” official title eliminator in the UK on November 26.
The winner of that bout, to be staged by Tete s English promoter Frank Warren,
’ will earn the rights to challenge WBO bantamweight holder Marlon Tapales from the Philippines early next year. It really goes to show that we spend “quality time looking for luck to come through the door when it is already in through the window,” said Tete, who vowed a win against Villanueva. Tete s skills are polished by successful
’ veteran trainer Loyiso Mtya, a former boxer, promoter and acting chief executive officer of Boxing SA in Mdantsane, East London. I have been in camp here in “Johannesburg since last week,” said Tete who revealed he would campaign in both the junior bantamweight and bantamweight classes. He is rated No 3 by the WBC. Tengimfene said: The pieces of a jigsaw
“puzzles are coming together for Zolani and we are all excited.”
Tete won the IBF international bantamweight belt with a seventh round destruction of Jose Santos Gonzales in Liverpool on March 12.
Tete has been adopted by Liverpool fans ever since he blasted their own idol Paul Baby Faced Assassin Butler in the eighth “” round in the UK in March last year.
It was after that demolition act that Warren inked the charismatic South African.
Warren, from Hertfordshire in the UK, has promoted a number African greats including Jacob Baby Jake Matlala and
“” Thulani Sugar Boy Malinga (both local),
“” Namibian Harry The Terminator Simon
“” and Ghanaian icon Azumah The
“Professor Nelson.
”