Former two-weight world boxing champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete has been shot and killed outside his home in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, in an attack that has sent shockwaves through South African sport.
Tete, 38, was reportedly arriving at his home in the NU17 area at about 6.30pm on Friday when he was attacked by armed men. Police said two suspects wearing balaclavas approached the vehicle and opened fire while Tete was waiting for the gate to open.
A 27-year-old woman who was travelling with him was also struck by gunfire and was taken to hospital for treatment.
According to Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, Tete attempted to escape the attack by driving into his property. He was, however, critically wounded and died at the scene.
Police have opened cases of murder and attempted murder. No arrests had been made at the time of publication, while the motive for the shooting remained unknown.
The suspects fled after the attack and investigators are continuing to work to establish what led to the shooting.
A champion from Mdantsane
Tete’s death marks a devastating loss for South African boxing, particularly in the Eastern Cape, where he grew up and began his journey in the sport.
Born and raised in Mdantsane, Tete started boxing when he was just eight years old. His development was shaped by the area’s rich boxing culture, and he was later trained by former world champion Vuyani Bungu.
Tete eventually transformed himself from a young fighter in a township gym into one of South Africa’s most accomplished professional boxers.
His career included world titles in two weight divisions. In 2014, he travelled to Japan and defeated Teiru Kinoshita to win the IBF junior bantamweight championship.
He later reached the summit again at bantamweight. Tete became WBO bantamweight champion and successfully defended the title before losing it to John Riel Casimero in Birmingham in November 2019.
His professional record stood at 29 wins from 34 bouts, including 22 victories by knockout.
The 11-second knockout that made history
Perhaps the most unforgettable moment of Tete’s career came in Belfast in November 2017.
Defending his WBO bantamweight title against fellow South African Siboniso Gonya, Tete needed just 11 seconds to finish the fight.
Tete landed a devastating right hand almost immediately, dropping Gonya and bringing the contest to an astonishingly early end. The performance earned Tete a Guinness World Record for the fastest knockout in a championship boxing fight.
The record had previously stood at 17 seconds, making Tete’s performance one of the most remarkable finishes ever seen in a world-title bout.
The Belfast victory also cemented his reputation internationally. What made the achievement particularly significant was that it came in a world-title contest and against a fellow professional boxer, rather than in an exhibition or non-title fight.
The record remains one of the defining achievements of Tete’s career.
A career built on resilience
Tete’s rise was not without setbacks. He competed internationally throughout his career, often having to travel away from home for major opportunities.
His victory over Kinoshita in Japan gave him his first world championship, while his reign as WBO bantamweight champion established him as one of the leading fighters in his division.
He also defeated experienced opponents such as Omar Narváez and Mikhail Aloyan during his time at the top of the bantamweight division.
His final professional appearance came in July 2022 against Britain’s Jason Cunningham at Wembley Arena.
Tete initially won the fight, but the result was later changed to a no contest following a positive test for the banned substance stanozolol. He denied knowingly taking the substance and subsequently served a four-year suspension.
That suspension ended on July 29, 2026.
Dreams of a comeback
In the months before his death, Tete had been preparing for a return to boxing.
The end of his suspension had opened the possibility of another chapter in a career that had already taken him from Mdantsane to world championship glory.
Tete spoke publicly about the difficulties of the suspension and his desire to return to competition. He had indicated that he hoped to fight again in 2026.
For a fighter who had spent much of his life inside the boxing gym, the prospect of a comeback represented an opportunity to rebuild his career and once again compete at the highest level.
Instead, his life was tragically cut short just as that possibility was beginning to take shape.
More than a boxer
Tete’s connection to Mdantsane extended beyond his professional achievements.
He had spoken about his desire to give back to the community that produced him and to help young boxers follow a path similar to his own. His story was particularly powerful for youngsters who saw a local fighter rise from township gyms to become a world champion.
His success also helped reinforce Mdantsane’s reputation as one of South Africa’s important boxing communities.
For many young fighters, Tete represented proof that an international boxing career could emerge from a local gym and that a fighter from the Eastern Cape could compete successfully on the world stage.
Tributes after a shocking death
News of Tete’s killing prompted an immediate outpouring of grief from South Africa’s sporting community and the Eastern Cape.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane described the boxer as one of the province’s finest sporting sons and highlighted his journey from Mdantsane to the top of world boxing.
The tributes reflect the scale of Tete’s impact. He was not simply a former world champion; he was a fighter whose career was closely connected to his hometown and whose achievements gave many South Africans a source of pride.
His nickname, “Last Born”, became synonymous with a fighter known for speed, power and determination.
An unfinished final chapter
Tete’s death comes at a particularly painful moment in his life and career.
After more than two decades associated with professional boxing, he had finally reached the end of his suspension and was looking toward a return to the ring. The possibility of seeing the former champion compete again had given fans another reason to follow his journey.
Instead, South African boxing is now mourning a champion whose career ended away from the ring.
Tete leaves behind a legacy defined by world titles, 22 knockout victories and a record-breaking 11-second championship finish that secured his place in boxing history.
But beyond the statistics and belts, his story was one of a young boy from Mdantsane who started boxing at eight and ultimately became a world champion.
His achievements inside the ring cannot be separated from the community that shaped him. For Mdantsane and South African boxing, the loss of Zolani “Last Born” Tete is therefore not only the death of a champion, but the loss of one of the sport’s most recognisable sons.
As police continue their investigation and the search for those responsible, the questions surrounding his killing remain unanswered.
What cannot be disputed is the mark Tete left on South African boxing.
He became a two-weight world champion. He became a Guinness World Record holder. And, for one extraordinary night in Belfast, he made boxing history in just 11 seconds.
His legacy will last considerably longer.
