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Zolani Tete Fancies His Chances

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Reigning World Boxing Organisation (WBO) bantamweight champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete hopes to walk away with the Male Boxer of the Year and Fight of the Year awards at the South African Boxing Awards ceremony.

The awards will be held at the Boardwalk Casino in Port Elizabeth this coming Friday, 02 February 2018.

Tete is competing for the Male Boxer of the Year with International Boxing Organisation (IBO) cruiserweight champion Kevin Lerena, South African welterweight king Thulani Mbenge and Azinga Fuzile, who is the current SA, International Boxing Federation (IBF) Continental Africa and World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth featherweight champion.

“I’m very excited that once again I have been nominated for the Boxer of the Year and Fighter of the Year. It simply shows that I have been working hard and everyone in South African recognises my way. So I’m very happy about it and I’m hoping that I will be victorious on the night,” Tete, who lost the Male Boxer of the Year award to former IBO lightweight champion Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni at the 2016 South African Boxing Awards ceremony said.

On the other hand, Tete’s clash against Filipino boxer Arthur Villanueva has been nominated in the Male Fight of the Year category together with IBO junior-bantamweight champion Gideon Buthelezi’s fight against Angel Aviles as well as Mpho Seforo’s contest with Thabang Ramagole.

“I think the level I’m fighting at has played a big role in me getting this nomination. As the kind of person that I am I have been conducting myself very well and I think people have realised that Zolani deserves to be the Boxer of the Year,” said Tete, who won the Knockout of the Year award at the 2016 South African Boxing Awards.

The 29-year-old Tete, who is the last born in a family of four children, believes that Fuzile would be a worth winner in the Male Boxer of the Year category should he (Tete) fail to bag the award.

”If I don’t win, of which I don’t think that would happen I think Azinga was going win if I was not around,” said the Mdantsane-born former IBF junior-bantamweight and World Boxing Foundation (WBF) flyweight champion.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.