Zolani Tete camp has denied that he is taking veteran challenger Omar Narvaez lightly ahead of their clash at SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Saturday.
There has been concern that the Tete team may be overlooking the experienced challenger, especially after he broke a world record for the fastest knockout in his last bout in November.
This when Tete took 11 seconds to floor Siboniso Gonya to set a new world record.
Since the feat, the Mdantsane boxer has seemed to be slacking off in preparations for the crucial clash against the 42-year-old veteran.
Firstly Tete did not go camping in Johannesburg as it has been the norm before almost all his fights.
Instead he remained in East London camping in a secluded house.
He also used perceived weak sparring partners to prepare for the left-handed challenger.
One observer, who refused to be named, said Tete was not getting the best from sparring sessions against local boxers.
Boxers who have been helping Tete with sparring include SA junior-flyweight champion Bongani Silila and dethroned SA junior-bantamweight champion Lindile Tshemese.
Although they are left-handers, the two boxers are considered way below the challenge expected to be brought by Narvaez.
The Argentine is a two-time world champion having held the WBO title in the flyweight and junior-bantamweight divisions.
In his only bid to challenge for a world title in the bantamweight he lost a points decision to Filipino Nonito Donaire, who is one of only two boxers to beat him in 52 bouts.
But Tete’s manager Mla Tengimfene has shot down reports of a weak camp by Tete.
“This has been one of the best camps for Zolani and perhaps he can speak for himself,” Tengimfene said when the Dispatch visited them.
But the boxer instead insisted that Tengimfene do all the talking about the camp.
“No, you must speak about the camp yourself,” Tete retorted giving an impression the decision to camp at home was not his.
Tengimfene insisted that Tete benefited from every aspect of the training he often gets in Johannesburg.
He said the boxer had used Fitness First training facility to make up for missing the conditioning classes he attends when camping in Johannesburg.
Tete also followed such a strict diet that at times his weight dropped alarmingly prompting his handlers to ask him to ease off.
“At one stage Zolani was weighing 55kg which is so low when the fight is still weeks away,” he said.
However Tete is a gym freak by nature therefore reducing weight has never been a problem with him.
While he expressed readiness for the fight, the fire which he had often displayed ahead of his bouts was somewhat missing.
He appeared bored and disinterested and when asked what the problem was, he responded: “I was about to take a nap after the morning session.”
But the reunion with veteran trainer Loyiso Mtya, who was absent in the Gonya fight after a minor tiff, should bring stability to the team.
Tete participated in a first public workout in Belfast this week with the session drawing several spectors.
He is scheduled to meet Narvaez in a final press briefing tomorrow.
Tete’s camp allays fears over Belfast
There has been concern that the Tete team may be overlooking the experienced challenger, especially after he broke a world record for the fastest knockout in his last bout in November.
This when Tete took 11 seconds to floor Siboniso Gonya to set a new world record.
Since the feat, the Mdantsane boxer has seemed to be slacking off in preparations for the crucial clash against the 42-year-old veteran.
Firstly Tete did not go camping in Johannesburg as it has been the norm before almost all his fights.
Instead he remained in East London camping in a secluded house.
He also used perceived weak sparring partners to prepare for the left-handed challenger.
One observer, who refused to be named, said Tete was not getting the best from sparring sessions against local boxers.
Boxers who have been helping Tete with sparring include SA junior-flyweight champion Bongani Silila and dethroned SA junior-bantamweight champion Lindile Tshemese.
Although they are left-handers, the two boxers are considered way below the challenge expected to be brought by Narvaez.
The Argentine is a two-time world champion having held the WBO title in the flyweight and junior-bantamweight divisions.
In his only bid to challenge for a world title in the bantamweight he lost a points decision to Filipino Nonito Donaire, who is one of only two boxers to beat him in 52 bouts.
But Tete’s manager Mla Tengimfene has shot down reports of a weak camp by Tete.
“This has been one of the best camps for Zolani and perhaps he can speak for himself,” Tengimfene said when the Dispatch visited them.
But the boxer instead insisted that Tengimfene do all the talking about the camp.
“No, you must speak about the camp yourself,” Tete retorted giving an impression the decision to camp at home was not his.
Tengimfene insisted that Tete benefited from every aspect of the training he often gets in Johannesburg.
He said the boxer had used Fitness First training facility to make up for missing the conditioning classes he attends when camping in Johannesburg.
Tete also followed such a strict diet that at times his weight dropped alarmingly prompting his handlers to ask him to ease off.
“At one stage Zolani was weighing 55kg which is so low when the fight is still weeks away,” he said.
However Tete is a gym freak by nature therefore reducing weight has never been a problem with him.
While he expressed readiness for the fight, the fire which he had often displayed ahead of his bouts was somewhat missing.
He appeared bored and disinterested and when asked what the problem was, he responded: “I was about to take a nap after the morning session.”
But the reunion with veteran trainer Loyiso Mtya, who was absent in the Gonya fight after a minor tiff, should bring stability to the team.
Tete participated in a first public workout in Belfast this week with the session drawing several spectors.
He is scheduled to meet Narvaez in a final press briefing tomorrow.
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