By Mesuli Zifo
Former IBF super flyweight champion Zolani Tete continued his pursuit for another world title after scoring a lop sided points win over Filipino Jether Oliva to pick up a regional title at Orient Theatre in East London, South Africa on Friday.
However Tete (22-3, 18 KOs) paid dearly for the win as he aggravate his shoulder and hand injury he had suffered in training days before the fight.
After the one sided fight, his right shoulder was swathed in bandages but he seemed not to feel the injury as he screamed his lungs out to spur on his older brother Makazole in his failed bid to win the IBO crown in the same division against compatriot Gideon Buthelezi.
Zolani who had to abdicate his IBF crown shortly after posting an eight round stoppage of previously unbeaten Paul Butler in Manchester in April, says he is hungry for another championship glory.
He had to watch McJoe Arroyo ascend the throne he had vacated rather than defend against the Peurto Rican due to what he claimed were unfavorable terms after Golden Boy Promotion posted paltry $25 000 pledge in the purse bids.
Tete was fighting for the second time as a non champion having stopped Mexican Diuhl Olguin in eight rounds in September.
But Oliva proved to be a tougher customer as he absorbed damaging blows throughout and only went down in the fourth round.
Tete said he pulled his punches in fear of aggravating the injury.
“I injured both hands in training but I felt I should go ahead with the fight,” he said after the fight.
“But I give Jether props for hanging in there despite the beating I dished out. He is made of sterner stuff and he is the kind of opponent I wanted to get rounds under my belt as I am chasing for a world title shot.”
All the judges had Tete in command with scores of 120-107 twice and 120-108.
His manager Mlandeli Tengimfene revealed after the fight that the southpaw has signed a three-year deal with British promoter Frank Warren and will be back in the ring in Manchester on February 15.
“We have been negotiating with Frank for a while now and he has promised us a world title shot if we win in Manchester,” Tengimfene revealed.
While it was good win for Zolani especially as his disabled mother Nomonde was ringside to cheer him on, it was not such a good night for his sibling Makazole who meekly surrendered to Buthelezi without making an effort.
Considered as the more talented of the two brothers, Makazole surrendered his unbeaten record of 15 fights with with two draws in the worst possible manner as he stayed on the ropes sparking his mother to scream at him to charge forward.
Buthelezi a former holder of the title had no problem teeing off with crisp punches from his southpaw stance.
It was an easy fight to score with one judge voting for Buthelezi with 119-109 which seemed to be the true reflection of the fight.
Another score of 118-110 was made to look better by the way off the mark 116-113 margin when Tete hardly won a single round.
Former IBO super flyweight champion Lwandile Sityatha easily picked up a bantamweight WBO regional title with another one sided win over Filipino Ernesto Saulong. Scores were 118-109 twice and 119-109.
Former world lightweight title contender Ali Funeka was victorious in his come back fight following his muti alleged fifth round defeat by Tsiko Mulovhedzi to surrender the IBO welterweight crown in July.
Funeka forced a fourth round stoppage over outgunned Gideon Agbosu of Ghana while former two time IBF junior lightweight champion Mzonke Fana forced overmatched Xolani Mcotheli to quit on his stool in the eighth round.
Former SA featherweight champion Aphiwe Mboyiya continued with his surge in the junior lightweight division when he picked up a regional crown after a seventh round stoppage of Abraham Osei Bonsu of Ghana.
