ZOLANI Tete will be looking at getting back on the winning trail when he steps into the ring against Eduard Penerio in their junior-bantamweight clash scheduled for eight rounds at Carnival City tomorrow.
22 March 2013 | Nick Gordon
Boasting a record of 16 wins, 14 of which have come via the short route, in 19 fights, Tete has an opportunity to re-affirm the belief in his world championship potential when facing off against the visiting fighter from the Philippines who has only lost once in 16 fights and has stopped 10 foes in his 15 victories.
The bout forms part of the undercard for ?African Glory III? that will see Tete?s stablemate Jeffrey Mathebula renew a rivalry with Takalani Ndlovu in an IBF super-bantamweight eliminator.
Tete, who also trades under the name of ?Last Born?, has always been highly rated by the IBF, at present he occupies seventh spot on their rankings within the division, a factor that has resulted in him being granted eliminator opportunities on two occasions but things didn?t go his way.
Forced to travel, first to Mexico and then Argentina, for two of the biggest fights of his career Tete became the victim of a phenomenon in boxing that sees the home fighter favoured, particularly on his trip to Argentina when going down on a split-decision to current IBF No 1 Roberto Sosa in his last outing in September last year.
While the results may have stunted his progress, Tete believes that the two experiences were good learning curves.
?I?ve fought overseas twice and gained lots of experience and it?s working for me,? Tete said ahead of his showdown. ?I feel like I was robbed,? he said of his trip to Argentina.
?A lot of people are saying that because they?ve watched the fight on YouTube.
?I lost the fight but it was a learning curve. I?m going to push more and eventually I?ll get there. It?s my time,? he said before adding that his training camp, under the watchful eye of Nick Durandt, has gone well.
?I?m always confident. In Nick?s gym there is lots of experience. There are guys who are world champions, former world champions and we?re sparring with them. Everything you do is about experience and we?re learning every day. I?m looking forward to the fight,? said Tete.
It?s this experience that Tete will be looking on drawing upon once he crosses the ropes and finds himself under the bright spotlights and this could be the fight he needs to re-ignite his dreams of progressing towards a world title.
