World champion boxer Zolani Tete is reportedly murdered in an ambush outside his house in South Africa.
Tete, who was 38 years old, was shot and killed Friday morning in an ambush in Eastern Cape, South Africa, per BBC Sport.
According to officials, Tete was in his vehicle and waiting for the gate to his house to be opened when two suspects in balaclavas got out of a car, and proceeded to fire “multiple shots” at him and a 27-year-old woman passenger still in the hospital.
South Africa’s minister of sport, arts and culture, Gayton McKenzie, noted, “South Africa has lost one of the finest fighters it has ever produced.”
Tete held the WBO bantamweight title from 2017 to 2019, and also the IBF super-flyweight title in 2014.
The World Boxing Organization mourns the tragic passing of former WBO Bantamweight World Champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete.
We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, loved ones and the entire South African boxing community during this incredibly difficult time.… pic.twitter.com/UBlR7lf59s
— WBO (@WorldBoxingOrg) August 21, 2026
Tete defeated Paul Butler in Liverpool, England, in 2015; this was one of the eight times he had ever competed in Britain.
Furthermore, Tete is the holder of the Guinness World Record for fastest knockout in a title fight, where he knocked out Siboniso Gonya within 11 seconds in 2017.
Tete’s last bout was in July 2022 in London, defeating Briton Jason Cunningham, but later deemed as a no-contest after he failed his drug test.
In addition, Tete tested positive for anabolic steroid stanozolol and banned from boxing for four years by UK Anti-Doping Agency.
His ban would end 29 July 2026, and following his tragic death, his manager, Mla Tengimfene, stated that Tete was working hard on his comeback bout.
Tete has a record of 29 wins in 34 fights, and four losses and one no-contest.
