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Former two-time world boxing champion Zolani Tete has been shot dead in an apparent ambush outside his home in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The 38-year-old was reportedly sitting in his car waiting for the gate to his residence to open when two armed men wearing balaclavas emerged from another vehicle and opened fire, killing him instantly. A 27-year-old female passenger sustained gunshot injuries and is receiving treatment in hospital, while the attackers fled the scene.
South African authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the killing. Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie described Tete as one of the country's finest boxing talents, lamenting the loss of a celebrated sports icon. Tete captured the IBF super-flyweight title in 2014 and the WBO bantamweight crown between 2017 and 2019. He also held the Guinness World Record for the fastest knockout in a world title fight after stopping Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds in 2017.
The former champion had been preparing for a return to professional boxing after completing a four-year doping ban that ended in July 2026. His manager, Mlandeli Tengimfene, said Tete was looking forward to reviving his career with a comeback bout scheduled for November. During his professional career, Tete recorded 29 victories in 34 fights, with four defeats and one no-contest.
Tributes poured in from across the boxing world following news of his death. Japanese undisputed champion Naoya Inoue described Tete as a "wonderful boxer," while former rival John Riel Casimero said he was shocked and heartbroken by the tragedy. The World Boxing Organization (WBO) also expressed condolences to Tete's family and the South African boxing community, honouring the late fighter as a former world champion whose legacy will endure.
