TeTe Will Be Remembered As One Of South Africa’s Finest
In devastating news that has sent shockwaves through boxing, two-division world champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete was reportedly shot and killed outside his residence in Mdantsane, South Africa. He was only 38 years old.
According to local reports, Tete (29-4, 22 KOs) was returning home from a gym session with a female companion. While waiting for the gate to open at his residence, they were reportedly confronted by armed suspects, who opened fire.
Last Born and his companion attempted to flee in their vehicle. Tragically, Tete succumbed to his gunshot wounds inside the vehicle. His companion was hospitalized with injuries. At the time of this writing, no arrests have been made.
A TRAGIC LOSS
Tete established himself as one of South Africa’s most accomplished fighters of his generation by winning titles in two-weight divisions. The talented lefty possessed excellent boxing ability and legitimate power in both hands. At his peak, Tete was considered one of the elite fighters in the lower-weight divisions and was highly regarded enough to be discussed as a potential opponent for the current undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue.
However, Tete’s career took a downward turn following a shocking stoppage loss to John Riel Casimero in November 2019. The South African’s struggles eventually culminated in a four-year suspension after testing positive for the banned substance stanozolol in July 2022 following a contest with Jason Cunningham which was ruled a no-contest.
Despite those setbacks, Tete was attempting to rebuild his career and was primed for a comeback. He will be remembered as one of South Africa’s most talented fighters and one of the better lower-weight boxers of the past decade. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and loved ones.
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