By Patrick Austen-Hardy

 

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, 22 August. - (ANA) - Two-time boxing world champion Zolani Tete has been shot dead. The 38-year-old was killed in an ambush outside his home in Eastern Cape, which is located in the south east of South Africa.

 

Tete was known for winning the WBF Flyweight and WBO Bantamweight world titles as well as holding the Guinness World Record for the fastest knockout ever recorded in boxing (11 seconds vs Siboniso Gonya in 2017). He was expected to come back to the ring, having been absent since testing positive for the steroid stanozolol in July 2022.

 

The 29-4 fighter had not fought since defeating British boxer Jason Cunningham in Wembley Arena in July 2022. Reports from his native South Africa broke the news about his death.

 

Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana confirmed the boxer's death, while also stating a shooting incident had happened at around 6.30pm local time.

 

He said: "In an attempt to escape the hail of bullets, the deceased drove his vehicle into the yard. He unfortunately succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased on the scene."

 

It was also confirmed Tete was accompanied by a 27-year-old female, who was also shot in the melee, at the time of his death.

 

It's understood they had been waiting outside the gates of his residence in the Eastern Cape when two balaclava-clad suspects ambushed them and opened fire.

 

The female who was with him at the time has been hospitalised with multiple gunshot wounds, according to Brigadier Gantana. He added: "The female passenger sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

 

"She remains hospitalised. At this stage, no arrests have been made...The suspects fled the scene and are yet to be apprehended. The scene is currently active. Our officers are attending to all necessary protocols. We are unable to confirm the identity of the deceased at the time.”

 

Tete's four-year suspension, which was handed to him by the UK Anti-Doping Agency, expired in July. In January, he pledged to get back into the ring as soon as his ban was over, saying to The Ring: "It's been a tough and long journey and I am happy its finally coming to an end.

 

"In all the investigations my team and I were going through, we still can't really tell what exactly happened from our side.

 

"The closest answer we could get from Prof. Kintz was that it can only be a contamination, gathering the percentage of substance found and not being found on my toenails as they were tested by the Prof. Personally, I don't accept the ban because I'm a clean and fair athlete."

 

When asked if he was going to return to boxing, he said: "Oh yes definitely, my plan is still unfinished. It's been a while since I stepped inside the ring, I am looking forward to my comeback fight and getting back to winning ways."   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/22 August 2026 - - -