At 35, the former world champ likely to focus on his studies

Tete’s future in doubt after four-year boxing ban

Zolani Tete, former IBF junior bantam and WBO bantamweight holder
Zolani Tete, former IBF junior bantam and WBO bantamweight holder
Image: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images

Mlandeli Tengimfene, a Boxing SA-licensed manager, said the future of his charge Zolani “Last Born” Tete as a boxer is uncertain.

He was reacting to Tete’s four-year ban from active boxing by the UK Anti-Doping Agency. This means Tete cannot box at home too after Boxing SA suspended Tete’s licence when he returned a positive test in the first sample last year.

He will be 38 when his term expires in 2026.

“Four years without a fight at 35 is a long time, so, ja, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” said Tengimfene, whose charge tested positive for a banned substance, stanazolol (a muscle-cutting agent), after his fourth-round stoppage of Englishman Jason Cunningham in July last year.

For that victory, Tete bagged the Commonwealth, IBF International and WBO junior featherweight titles, which was a rare achievement.  

Tete took a B sample, which confirmed the initial result in February and the subsequent hearing took place last week.

The first blow for us was when it was confirmed that Zolani had tested positive  for doping; the rest was secondary, said Tengimfene.

At least it was something we expected, hoping for the best after the hearing. Four years is mandatory, however, we were given an option: agree that he doped, divulge the source and we will be given three years.

It was tempting but the fact that Zolani did not dope  meant we would rather accept the four years. Zolani was always cautious; hes been tested 10 times before and he knew he was going to be tested after his fight with Jason. I will always be there for him because he did not disappoint me.

He said the former IBF junior bantam and WBO bantamweight holder from Mdantsane agreed that he must return to school.

Four years down the line, Zolani will graduate with a sports management degree, said Tengimfene, who is  a firm believer in education. Tete has been a professional boxer since 2006. He chalked up 23 knockouts in 30 wins against four losses.

He is best remembered for producing the fastest world title knockout in boxing history, flooring Siboniso Gonya in 11 seconds to retain the WBO belt in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 2017. The previous record was 17 seconds from a fight in 1994.


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