By Jake Donovan
After a five-month delay, Zolani Tete and Paul Butler are ready to throw down. The two square off in a 115 lb. title tilt, which headlines at ExCel Arena in London, and airs live on BoxNation TV in the U.K.
The was originally scheduled for last October, but postponed after Tete suffered an untimely injury during training camp.
Tete (19-3, 16KOs) attempts the first defense of the title he won in vacant capacity last July, having traveled to Japan to take a 12-round decision over previously unbeaten Teiru Kinoshita. The rail thin South African banger is no stranger to fighting in hostile territory; Friday's title clash marks his fifth road trip in his last seven fights.
Butler (17-0, 8KOs) looks to become just the second ever British boxer to move down in weight to win a title after having reigned at a higher weight class. More than 100 years after Bob Fitzsimmons won the middleweight, heavyweight and light heavyweight championships (in that order), Butler goes after a junior bantamweight title after having won - and subsequently vacated - a bantamweight title last summer.
Read on to see how the staff at BoxingScene.com believes the junior bantamweight bout plays out.
BOXINGSCENE.COM STAFF PREDICTIONS: ZOLANI TETE vs. PAUL BUTLER
Jake Donovan (Butler SD): This will mark Tete’s third straight road trip, which should relieve him of any lingering concern of home cooking for his opponent. Still, I have a hard time believing Butler won’t get a decision if he’s still on his feet by the end of the night. The decision will be close and perhaps debatable, but with Butler catching the attention of the judges just enough to edge it in any close rounds.
John MacDonald (Butler UD): Tete is tall, rangy and experienced at winning in the road but I feel he'll come up short here. Butler can look flashy at times, these eye catching shots and faster hands should be enough to see him claim a close but fair decision.
Takahiro Onaga (Butler UD): I see Butler just narrowly out pointing Tete in a very close fight. I hope a referee doesn’t spoil it under a Butler flurry. Tete jab can make life very difficult for the quicker Butler.
Cliff Rold (Tete KO): Tete is on a nice roll but outside Sanchez he's been mostly beaten by better fighters. I'm not sure Butler qualifies. He's good but ordinary and Tete should be the quicker, more dangerous man. I think he avoids the risk of a road decision.
Reynaldo Sanchez (Tete UD): Tete as #2 in the world behind Inoue at 115 lbs. seems to be too much for Butler.
Alexey Sukachev (Butler UD12): Tete looks to be a very solid fighter with a very solid punch, nearing his prime. But Butler isn't a notch worse. He isn't an inexperienced home cookie. "Home" - yes, "Cookie" - if only with a chili. Also, Tete has been unlucky in close fights outwards, and this will be a close fight, which will be taken by Butler on a better skill set.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
