Assailants have murdered former boxing champion Zolani Tete in South Africa.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal attack on Tete, 38 who was ambushed by armed men in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, while arriving at his residence and waiting for the gate to open, according to police.
South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, confirmed the boxer’s death on Friday night, saying Tete was killed in his car.
A 27-year-old woman who was also inside the vehicle was reportedly shot multiple times during the attack and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Police said two-armed suspects wearing balaclavas were involved in the attack and fled the scene after shooting Tete.
Zolani Tete was one of South Africa’s notable boxing figures, having won world titles across multiple weight divisions during a professional career that spanned several years.
He first held a world title in the WBF flyweight category between 2007 and 2008 before later winning the WBO bantamweight championship in 2017 and 2019.
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His breakthrough on the international stage came in 2014 when he defeated Japan’s Teiru Kinoshita on points to capture the IBF junior-bantamweight world title.
Tete subsequently won the WBO interim title before being recognized as a full world champion. One of the most remarkable moments of his career came in 2017 when he produced an extraordinary 11-second knockout against Siboniso Gonya.
Zolani Tete knocked Gonya out with the first punch of the fight, setting a record for the fastest knockout in a world-title bout.
The southpaw finished his professional career with an impressive record of 29 victories, including 22 knockouts, four defeats and one no contest.
His final professional appearance came in July 2022 at Wembley Arena in London, where he defeated Britain’s Jason Cunningham.
However, the result was later overturned after Tete returned a positive test for stanozolol, a prohibited substance. He was subsequently handed a four-year suspension, although Tete consistently maintained that he had not knowingly taken the banned substance.
The suspension expired in July, and Tete had reportedly been preparing for a return to professional boxing. His death therefore comes as a devastating blow to the South African boxing community, particularly as he was working towards a comeback following the end of his suspension. Authorities have opened an investigation into the shooting, while the motive for the attack remains unclear.
The killing has also renewed concerns over violent crime in South Africa, as investigators work to identify the suspects responsible for the attack.
Al Jazeera
