Next up for Mdantsane boxing hero Zolani “Last Born” Tete is the WBO world championship – and then a title unification shot.
This was declared by Tete’s manager Mla Tengimfene upon Team Last Born’s arrival at the East London Airport fresh from the 28-year-old’s seventh round stoppage of Jose Santos Gonzalez to clinch the IBF international bantamweight title in Liverpool, England, last weekend.
Last Born arrived at the airport amid much fanfare from his supporters who packed the airport’s VIP lounge in their numbers.
Missing in action this time around though were provincial MEC for sport, recreation, arts and culture MEC Pemmy Majodina and Buffalo City Metro executive mayor Alfred Mtsi who have previously paraded the boxing star at the same venue following his previous heroics.
The reason for their no show, according to Boxing SA provincial manager Phakamile Jacobs, was the changed times for his arrival from 11.30 am to 4.45pm.
However, Majodina’s spokesman Andile Nduna had earlier told the Daily Dispatch that the MEC would not make it due to her commitments in the Bhisho legislature as her department was due to appear before the committee on sport.
But the no-show from government heavyweights did not dampen the spirits of Last Born’s faithful who exploded in song singing “Asiphelelanga kushota uTete” as soon as their star and his entourage – including his father Zolile Tete and chief trainer Loyiso Mtya – emerged from the arrivals terminal following what was his second back-to-back victory in the land of the Brits.
The champion’s mother Nomonde was also among the fans.
“Going forward the first step is to win the WBO world title, second is to unify and then to defend those titles for at least five years,” declared an excited Tengimfene who said people were yet to see the best of Tete.
Tengimfene also revealed that Tete’s next fight would possibly be as soon as April 30 and jokingly referring to the champ’s mother saying “you will have two weeks to spend with your son thereafter you hand him back to me so we can continue with our work.”
Tete accredited his latest victory to his camp and supporters whom he lauded for their faith in him through his up and downs in boxing.
He went on to recall how “I knew the moment I stepped into the ring” that he would destroy the Mexican opponent.
Tete said: “The instruction from my camp was that I do not rush him but to ensure that the fight does not go the distance.
“Then somewhere in round six I decided that the fight had gone on for long but the bell rang to end that round before I finished him off,” an elated Tete said.
“Then right at the beginning of round seven I dropped him and the fight ended.”
According to the erstwhile IBF World super flyweight king, his stay in England was a memorable one.
Among his highlights was his “surprise popularity” in a foreign land.
Mtya said within the next 12 months, Tete will not just be a world champion “but will be counted among the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.” — zingisam@dispatch.co.za