Mdantsane boxing hero Zolani Tete celebrated his 29th birthday in style in England yesterday ahead of his Saturday clash against Mexican Jose Santos Gonzalez.
This, despite the tournament was shrouded in controversy after Cuban star Guillermo Rigondeaux was reported to be struggling to get a visa to enter the UK for his clash against Jazza Dickens in one of the bouts of the tournament.
The failure of Rigondeaux to secure a visa is causing consternation to fight organisers as there is no guarantee that the Cuban would ultimately be granted the permit.
Tournament promoter Frank Warren, who is organising the show under the banner of his Queensberry Promotions, says Rigondeaux’s visa was being handled by his promotion company RocNation, owned by music mogul Jay Z.
The Cuban has been training for the fight in Russia but is now reportedly stuck there as his visa issues have not yet been sorted out.
Some British media has reported that the Cuban will not fight in the tournament.
Ironically Rigondeaux reportedly attended the tournament in Grozny, Russia, this past weekend, where another Mdantsane boxer, Ali Funeka, upset previously unbeaten rising star Viskhan Murzabek.
While Rigondeaux is beset by visa problems, there was no such misfortune for Tete.
Tete will take on Mexican Gonzalez for the vacant IBF International bantamweight title as he bids to get a shot at a world title again.
He will be fighting at Echo Arena in Liverpool, where he produced one of his best performances when knocking out the previously unbeaten Paul Butler to retain his IBF junior-bantamweight crown in March last year.
That performance convinced veteran British promoter Frank Warren to lure him by tying him down to a multi-year promotional contract.
On Saturday he will be making his debut for his new promotional home and is confident of proving that his sensational victory at the same venue last year was no fluke.
“We are relaxed because we have done all the hard work back home,” said the boxer’s manager Mla Tengimfene.
Tete left the country last Saturday with chief trainer Loyiso Mtya, his father Zolile, who is also part of the technical team, and Tengimfene.
Besides the Dickens-Rigondeaux fight, the tournament will be topped by the all-British WBO lightweight title clash between Terry Flanagan and Derry Mathews.
While Tete is under pressure to repeat the performance, he has enjoyed his UK experience.
“Even the commission here is calling us mates and everywhere we go we are mobbed by fans,” said Tengimfene.
Tete could not indulg on this birthday, choosing to shelve the celebration until after the fight.
“We will celebrate properly after the fight and we are hoping that it will be a double celebration as it will also be about our victory,” Tengimfene added.
The Mdantsane team is unfazed by the threat posed by Gonzalez, especially as the Mexican is not a closed book having fought in East London last year when he dropped a points decision to Duncan Village-born Mzuvukile Magwaca.
“Fortunately we know Gonzalez even though we did not watch his fight against Magwaca closely because we had no idea that we would be fighting him down the road.”
Tete has sights set on Mexican date
This, despite the tournament was shrouded in controversy after Cuban star Guillermo Rigondeaux was reported to be struggling to get a visa to enter the UK for his clash against Jazza Dickens in one of the bouts of the tournament.
The failure of Rigondeaux to secure a visa is causing consternation to fight organisers as there is no guarantee that the Cuban would ultimately be granted the permit.
Tournament promoter Frank Warren, who is organising the show under the banner of his Queensberry Promotions, says Rigondeaux’s visa was being handled by his promotion company RocNation, owned by music mogul Jay Z.
The Cuban has been training for the fight in Russia but is now reportedly stuck there as his visa issues have not yet been sorted out.
Some British media has reported that the Cuban will not fight in the tournament.
Ironically Rigondeaux reportedly attended the tournament in Grozny, Russia, this past weekend, where another Mdantsane boxer, Ali Funeka, upset previously unbeaten rising star Viskhan Murzabek.
While Rigondeaux is beset by visa problems, there was no such misfortune for Tete.
Tete will take on Mexican Gonzalez for the vacant IBF International bantamweight title as he bids to get a shot at a world title again.
He will be fighting at Echo Arena in Liverpool, where he produced one of his best performances when knocking out the previously unbeaten Paul Butler to retain his IBF junior-bantamweight crown in March last year.
That performance convinced veteran British promoter Frank Warren to lure him by tying him down to a multi-year promotional contract.
On Saturday he will be making his debut for his new promotional home and is confident of proving that his sensational victory at the same venue last year was no fluke.
“We are relaxed because we have done all the hard work back home,” said the boxer’s manager Mla Tengimfene.
Tete left the country last Saturday with chief trainer Loyiso Mtya, his father Zolile, who is also part of the technical team, and Tengimfene.
Besides the Dickens-Rigondeaux fight, the tournament will be topped by the all-British WBO lightweight title clash between Terry Flanagan and Derry Mathews.
While Tete is under pressure to repeat the performance, he has enjoyed his UK experience.
“Even the commission here is calling us mates and everywhere we go we are mobbed by fans,” said Tengimfene.
Tete could not indulg on this birthday, choosing to shelve the celebration until after the fight.
“We will celebrate properly after the fight and we are hoping that it will be a double celebration as it will also be about our victory,” Tengimfene added.
The Mdantsane team is unfazed by the threat posed by Gonzalez, especially as the Mexican is not a closed book having fought in East London last year when he dropped a points decision to Duncan Village-born Mzuvukile Magwaca.
“Fortunately we know Gonzalez even though we did not watch his fight against Magwaca closely because we had no idea that we would be fighting him down the road.”
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