Zolani Tete


Zolani Tete is a South African professional boxer. He is a former two-weight world champion, having held the IBF junior-bantamweight title from 2014 to 2015 and the WBO bantamweight title from 2017 to November 2019.

Early life and amateur career

Tete grew up in the Mdantsane township. He had a rough childhood. His father was a pastor. Him and his brother, Makazole, took up boxing when Zolani was eight. Tete looked up to South African former world champions Vuyani Bungu and Welcome Ncita while in the unpaid ranks. Tete would later be trained by Bungu. He claims to have over 400 amateur fights, only three of which were losses.

Professional career

Flyweight

Tete made his professional debut on May 2006. He won his first 8 fights by stoppage. In his eighth bout he won the WBF flyweight title, which he defended twice. Tete earned a shot at a major world title for the first time, beating Richard Garcia in a title eliminator by unanimous decision. Tete went on to face Moruti Mthalane for the IBF flyweight title, suffering his first loss with a round 5 technical knockout.

Junior bantamweight

After the loss to Mthalane, Tete moved up to junior-bantamweight. He received another opportunity to fight in an IBF eliminator, but lost a majority decision to Juan Alberto Rosas. After a bounce-back win, Tete fought in yet another eliminator but lost by split decision to Roberto Sosa. Tete seem to befuddle Sosa with his length early on, but as the fight went on Sosa surged and earned the nod. Sosa received a warning due to low blows but there was no point deductions.
On November 2013, Tete would fight in a third IBF junior-bantamweight eliminator against former champion Juan Carlos Sánchez, Jr.. Sánchez had lost the IBF title due to coming in overweight against Sosa, thus leaving the title vacant after beating Sosa. The winner would be the IBF's mandatory challenger to the winner of the Liborio Solís-Daiki Kameda unification bout. Tete knocked down Sánchez in round five before being dropped himself in round six. After being knocked down, Tete resorted to excessive holding, losing points in rounds eight and nine. However, he was able to put Sánchez away in round ten.
Solís would beat Kameda, but he also lost his title on the scales, leaving the IBF title vacant. Tete would face Teiru Kinoshita on July 2014 for the vacant title, winning a comfortable unanimous decision. After one successful defence, he chose to vacate the title rather than fight mandatory challenger McJoe Arroyo. Tete went on to sign with British promoter Frank Warren on December 2015.

Bantamweight

Tete made his bantamweight debut in 2016. In his third fight at the weight, Tete claimed the WBO interim by beating Arthur Villanueva. Tete won a wide unanimous decision, dropping Villanueva in round eleven. Tete was later elevated to full champion by the WBO.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
32Loss28–4 John Riel CasimeroTKO3, 2:1430 Nov 2019 Birmingham Arena, Birmingham, United KingdomLost WBO bantamweight title
31Win28–3 Mikhail AloyanUD1213 Oct 2018 Expo Center, Yekaterinburg, RussiaRetained WBO bantamweight title;
World Boxing Super Series: Bantamweight quarter-final
30Win27–3 Omar NarváezUD1221 Apr 2018 SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern IrelandRetained WBO bantamweight title
29Win26–3 Siboniso GonyaTKO1, 0:1118 Nov 2017SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland.png" />Retained WBO bantamweight title
28Win25–3 Arthur VillanuevaUD1222 Apr 2017Leicester Arena, Leicester, England.png" />Won WBO interim bantamweight title
27Win24–3 Victor RuizTKO7, 0:504 Jun 2016Echo Arena, Liverpool, England.png" />Won IBF International bantamweight title
26Win23–3 José Santos GonzálezTKO7, 2:3712 Mar 2016
25Win22–3 Jether OlivaUD1219 Dec 2015East London, South Africa.png" />Won vacant WBO Africa junior-bantamweight title
24Win21–3 Diuhl OlguínTKO8, 1:524 Sep 2015
23Win20–3 Paul ButlerTKO8, 1:346 Mar 2015Retained IBF junior-bantamweight title
22Win19–3 Teiru KinoshitaUD1218 Jul 2014Kobe, Japan.png" />Won vacant IBF junior-bantamweight title
21Win18–3 Juan Carlos Sánchez Jr.KO10, 2:4330 Nov 2013Auditorio del Estado, Mexicali, Mexico.png" />
20Win17–3 Eduard PenerioKO1, 2:3723 Mar 2013Brakpan, South Africa.png" />
19Loss16–3 Roberto SosaSD121 Sep 2012Polideportivo Municipal Carlos Cerutti, Córdoba, Argentina.png" />
18Win16–2 Siphiwo NtsanganiKO1, 0:3430 Mar 2012
17Loss15–2 Juan Alberto RosasMD1226 Nov 2011Plaza de Toros, Mazatlán, Mexico.png" />
16Win15–1 Olebogeng MotsekiTKO7, 2:2411 Jun 2011
15Win14–1 Sipho NkadimengKO1, 2:2017 Dec 2010
14Loss13–1 Moruti MthalaneTKO5, 2:271 Sep 2010For IBF flyweight title
13Win13–0 Richard GarciaUD1226 Feb 2010Johannesburg, South Africa.png" />
12Win12–0 Anthony MathiasKO1, 2:3820 Nov 2009Won vacant WBO Africa flyweight title
11Win11–0 Rexon FloresKO1, 0:2829 Mar 2009
10Win10–0 Francis MiyeyushoTKO1, 2:2429 Jun 2008Retained WBF flyweight title
9Win9–0 Xolani NteseUD1230 Mar 2008Retained WBF flyweight title
8Win8–0 Vicky TahumilRTD4 23 Sep 2007Won vacant WBF flyweight title
7Win7–0 Wiseman KegaKO1 1 Apr 2007
6Win6–0 Vuyo ToyiseKO1, 1:304 Mar 2007
5Win5–0 Zukile TokoTKO5 9 Dec 2006
4Win4–0 Mthutuzeli FundeTKO1, 1:447 Oct 2006
3Win3–0 Xolile NgemntuTKO1, 0:1019 Aug 2006
2Win2–0 Thembinkosi TywantsiTKO1, 0:5222 Jul 2006
1Win1–0 Andile SolaniTKO1, 1:3927 May 2006