World boxing’s new knockout king Zolani Tete yesterday returned home to a hero’s welcome as scores of fans chanted songs and ululated all the way from the East London Airport to the city hall.
With his WBO belt, which he retained by a 11 seconds knockout win over Siboniso Gonya at SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland at the weekend, draped over his shoulder Tete, 29, admitted that he was surprised by the quick ending of the fight.
The win broke boxing records as the fastest in a world championship bout and etched Tete’s name in the history books.
“I must admit I was surprised by the quick ending of the fight,” he said.
“We had practised to end it quick by at least giving Gonya four rounds but as when the bell sounded there were two things going through my mind and that was to throw a stiff jab or a hook. I opted for the latter. I could see that he expected a feel out session but I was not in the mood for that.”
He admitted that he was concerned when Gonya lay stricken to the canvas as medical personnel tried to revive him.
“I knew that the shot was good because I could even feel it in my knuckles. There are shots that need a follow up but once I landed that one I could feel that there was no need for a follow up. My knuckles were numb afterwards.”
Gonya took close to six minutes to be resuscitated before being rushed to hospital for precautionary measure.
In fact the fight took six seconds to end but it was stretched up to 11 seconds by the referee’s count which he abandoned when realising that Gonya needed quick medical attention.
This robbed Tete of the opportunity to celebrate the win and the record breaking feat as he was concerned about the KwaZulu-Natal challenger.
Yesterday he revealed that he had a brief chat with Gonya and his fears that he could be concussed were allayed. “Gonya is fine now and I believe he arrived back home safe.”
Tete’s mother Nomonde was over the moon with her son’s historic win.
Although she’s in a wheelchair, the proud mother said she could not miss the chance to be among the fans welcoming Zolani.
“I was overwhelmed with emotion while watching what Zolani did,” she said.
“I could not control myself so I broke down and cried. To see your son doing that can be too much even for any mother and it was no different with me. I think it was God’s wishes for him to develop into this and he should thank the Almighty for his success.”
Among Tete’s arrival team was provincial department of sport, recreation, arts and culture MEC Pemmy Majodina who flew to Belfast to offer support to the boxer.
Majodina said she would love for Tete to fight at home although he has proven to be a global icon.
“But we as the government cannot do it alone, we need the private sector to come on board for this star because now he is no longer our own alone but for the rest of the world,” she said.
She added that she would do everything in her power to open doors for the private sector to be involved in supporting Tete.
Boxing SA provincial manager Phakamile Jacobs appealed to local businesses, especially Eastern Cape-based car manufacturers to support the history-making Tete.
“It is a shame to see big local companies not even using Zolani as an ambassador despite his achievements,” he said.
“If Zolani was from other countries he would be driving a luxury vehicle offered by these big companies.”
Tete said he would be chasing a unification clash against other champions including Irish Ryan Burnett, who strangely did not attend the fight even though it was held in his own town.
“I think Burnett is now scared to risk his titles against me,” he said.
The Irish boxer holds the IBF and WBA titles in the same division and there are also plans for Tete to unify with WBC champion Luis Nery of Mexico.