ALLEGIANCE is definitely not the reason behind the support Nick Durandt has declared for Zolani Tete ahead of his fight with Filipino Richard Garcia in Nasrec tomorrow night and staged by Branco Sports Productions.

ALLEGIANCE is definitely not the reason behind the support Nick Durandt has declared for Zolani Tete ahead of his fight with Filipino Richard Garcia in Nasrec tomorrow night and staged by Branco Sports Productions.

Durandt has an axe to grind with Tete, though the successful boxing manager vehemently denied this to Sowetan yesterday. It is well-doc- umented that once a boxer bolts his trainer's stable, animosity becomes the order of the day.

Durandt wants to prove to Tete that he blundered by leaving his establishment in October last year. Tete had joined Durandt after parting ways with the Eyethu Gym.

The Butityi Konki tsunami swept Tete off his feet at Durandt's gym and Tete rejoined his longtime trainers Vuyani and Dudu Bungu, who honed his skills at Eyethu.

Tomorrow night Vuyani and his younger brother Dudu will mastermind Tete's bid to win the right to challenge IBF flyweight champion Moruti Mthalane, a Durandt-trainer fighter.

Durandt is rooting for Tete.

"I want to shut Tete and his camp's big mouths," he declared.

"Tete has been shooting his mouth off about how he will beat Mthalane."

Durandt refused to confirm or deny reports that Mthalane used to toy with Tete in their sparring sessions at his gym in Gauteng.

"Mthalane will need six rounds to defend against Tete," was all he would say.

Konki, whose BK Sports guides Tete's career , said: "Under no circumstances will we be distracted from our immediate assignment of taking care of Garcia." The fight tomorrow night will be televised live on Blow by Blow at 10.30pm.