Zolani Tete is the country’s lone major boxing world champion and he is embarking on a marketing drive to highlight his achievements to casual fans.
Tete became the WBO world bantamweight champion after beating Filipino Arthur Villanueva in a fight initially scheduled as an eliminator and later upgraded to an interim championship in England three weeks ago.
He was eventually elevated to a full champion status when another Filipino Marlon Tapales forfeited the WBO crown on the scales.
His coronation meant that he became the country’s lone major world title holder following in the footsteps of his amateur rival Hekkie Budler who surrendered the WBA mini-flyweight crown to unheralded Nicaraguan Bryon Rojas in March last year.
The WBA Budler held and the WBO title are two of four major world bodies – the other being the IBF and WBC – whose champions are recognised as true world kings in their respective divisions.
Now Tete wants the whole country to know that he belongs to the category of former great boxers such as Welcome Ncita, Vuyani Bungu, Mbulelo Botile, Zolani Petelo, Dingaan Thobela and Brian Mitchell just to mention a few.
And he becomes the first ever boxer in the Eastern Cape to win two different major titles in two divisions as he also reigned as the IBF junior bantamweight champion.
Botile comes close as he won the IBF in the bantamweight and featherweight division but his reign was only limited to one major world body.
In a dwindling sport, Tete understands that he needs to remind sports fanatics what it means to be a major world champion.
“I am not one to blow my horn but I think the country should understand the achievement of producing a major world champion,” he said.
“Every time I go to England I am mobbed by fans who understand the achievement but here at home this has not quite sunk in.”
This is why Tete embarked on a drive to attend different sports events at the weekend where he paraded his belts.
He started at the Border Bulldogs-South Western District (SWD) rugby clash at Buffalo City stadium on Friday, where he took to the field with his belts.
The following day he was at the Chippa United and Ajax soccer match at Sisa Dukashe stadium where he was introduced to Chippa club chairman Siviwe Mpengesi.
Together with flamboyant provincial sports MEC Pammy Majodina, Tete entered the field with a warm reception from the boxing mad region.
Tete’s manager Mla Tengimfene said his charge would continue with his nationwide parade by attending other big sports events in Johannesburg.
Champ Tete markets himself to the nation
Tete became the WBO world bantamweight champion after beating Filipino Arthur Villanueva in a fight initially scheduled as an eliminator and later upgraded to an interim championship in England three weeks ago.
He was eventually elevated to a full champion status when another Filipino Marlon Tapales forfeited the WBO crown on the scales.
His coronation meant that he became the country’s lone major world title holder following in the footsteps of his amateur rival Hekkie Budler who surrendered the WBA mini-flyweight crown to unheralded Nicaraguan Bryon Rojas in March last year.
The WBA Budler held and the WBO title are two of four major world bodies – the other being the IBF and WBC – whose champions are recognised as true world kings in their respective divisions.
Now Tete wants the whole country to know that he belongs to the category of former great boxers such as Welcome Ncita, Vuyani Bungu, Mbulelo Botile, Zolani Petelo, Dingaan Thobela and Brian Mitchell just to mention a few.
And he becomes the first ever boxer in the Eastern Cape to win two different major titles in two divisions as he also reigned as the IBF junior bantamweight champion.
Botile comes close as he won the IBF in the bantamweight and featherweight division but his reign was only limited to one major world body.
In a dwindling sport, Tete understands that he needs to remind sports fanatics what it means to be a major world champion.
“I am not one to blow my horn but I think the country should understand the achievement of producing a major world champion,” he said.
“Every time I go to England I am mobbed by fans who understand the achievement but here at home this has not quite sunk in.”
This is why Tete embarked on a drive to attend different sports events at the weekend where he paraded his belts.
He started at the Border Bulldogs-South Western District (SWD) rugby clash at Buffalo City stadium on Friday, where he took to the field with his belts.
The following day he was at the Chippa United and Ajax soccer match at Sisa Dukashe stadium where he was introduced to Chippa club chairman Siviwe Mpengesi.
Together with flamboyant provincial sports MEC Pammy Majodina, Tete entered the field with a warm reception from the boxing mad region.
Tete’s manager Mla Tengimfene said his charge would continue with his nationwide parade by attending other big sports events in Johannesburg.
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