By Elliot Foster
Zolani Tete will be hoping that a win this weekend will lead him on to bigger and better things.
The South African former IBF super-flyweight title returns to action on Saturday (June 4), exclusively live on BoxNation.
Tete, who beat Paul Butler to retain his crown last March at the ECHO Arena in Liverpool, will defend his IBF International bantamweight title against Mexico’s Victor Ruiz.
And the 27-year-old will be looking to ensure that he maintains his run and advances his record ahead of a potential showdown with IBF bantamweight titlist Lee Haskins.
“Liverpool is my home crowd now,” Tete told Boxing Scene, “and I’m determined to become a world champion again.
“Lee Haskins is IBF champion, I’m IBF International champion and that’s a fight I want.
“We’ll finally find out, when I face Haskins, who the real champion is.”
But Boxing Scene understands –– and has been informed by a source close to the deal –– that an agreement has been reached for Tete to challenge Kazakh Zhanat Zhakhiyanov in his next fight.
Zhakhiyanov is the current custodian of the WBA interim crown at 118lbs and the fight has been agreed for some time.
The clash was originally set to happen on April 30 at London’s Copper Box Arena but was pushed back after the 32-year-old suffered a hand injury in the build-up.
It is believed that the fight between Zhakhiyanov and Tete will be signed for a date in September should Tete (23-3, 19 KOs) keep hold of his crown against the Tijuana-based 25-year-old southpaw (21-5, 15 KOs).
