Boxing world mourns former champion Zolani Tete, killed in shooting

The boxing world is in shock following the death of former world champion Zolani Tete, who was killed in an armed attack in South Africa at the age of 38. Tete was shot on Friday evening in the Mdantsane area of the Eastern Cape, according to South African authorities.

Reports indicate that Tete was arriving at his home and waiting for the gate to open when two masked assailants emerged from a vehicle and opened fire. Tete attempted to evade the gunfire by driving his car into his yard but succumbed to his injuries at the scene. A 27-year-old woman traveling with him was also injured by multiple gunshots and is hospitalized.

Tete had a distinguished career, becoming a world champion in two different weight classes. He won the WBF title in the flyweight division in 2007 and the WBO bantamweight title ten years later, holding it until 2019. He also holds a remarkable record for the fastest knockout in a world title fight, achieving it in just 11 seconds in 2017.

His last professional fight was in July 2022 against Jason Cunningham. Although Tete won by knockout in the fourth round, the result was later overturned to a no-contest after a positive doping test. He had been serving a four-year ban from UK Anti-Doping, which concluded in July 2026, allowing him to return to active competition. Tragically, his plans were cut short by this fatal incident.