Zolani ‘Last Born’ Tete is quite relieved after he blasted Jason Cunningham in four rounds during their fight at the Ovo Arena in Wembley, London, in the United Kingdom on Saturday evening.
With the win, Tete bagged the IBF International, World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Intercontinental and Commonwealth junior-featherweight titles.
“I have been through a lot. I lost my mother last month. I have been struggling with no fights. Nothing was happening, things were tough. When I came to this fight, I wanted to make sure that I win,” Tete said.
Having lost his WBO bantamweight title to Filipino boxer Johnriel Casimero the last time he fought in the United Kingdom, Tete had to make a statement on Saturday.
“Having a win again in the UK is one of the best feelings. The last time I was here I came with a loss. I wanted to make sure people don’t write me off. I was born for the sport of boxing,” he said.
The 34-year-old Tete from Mdantsane had some nice words for Yorkshire-based Cunningham.
“I said some brutal words to Jason. It was out of frustration. He’s a good man. He’s a good fighter, he’s a good boxer. I hope to see him become a champion again. He’s one of the best fighters I’ve ever faced,” Tete remarked.
Meanwhile, the win has given Tete, a former IBF junior-bantamweight and WBO bantamweight titlist, a chance to relaunch his bid to fight for a world title yet again.
His promoter Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions promised before the fight that the winner of the bout was going to get a chance to challenge World Boxing Association (WBA) ‘Super’ and IBF junior-featherweight champion Murudjon Akhmadaliev from Uzbekistan.
