Former World Champion Boxer Zolani Tete Shot Dead in South Africa

Former world champion boxer Zolani Tete was shot dead outside his home in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, South Africa, on Friday. He was 38.

South African police said Tete was arriving at his residence and was sitting in his car waiting for the gate to open when two armed men wearing balaclavas approached the vehicle and opened fire. A 27-year-old woman who was in the car with Tete was also shot several times, news agency AP reported. She was taken to hospital and is receiving treatment.

South Africa's Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie confirmed Tete's death and called it a major loss for the country's sporting community.

"South Africa has lost one of the finest fighters it has ever produced."

Police said the two suspects fled the scene after the shooting, and an investigation is underway.

Tete won the WBF flyweight world title in 2007 and held it until 2008. He later became IBF super-flyweight world champion in 2014 and won the WBO bantamweight title, which he held between 2017 and 2019. One of the biggest moments of his career came in 2017 when he knocked out Siboniso Gonya in 11 seconds, setting a Guinness World Record for the fastest knockout in a world title fight.

Tete's last professional fight came in July 2022, when he knocked out Britain's Jason Cunningham in London. The result was later changed to a no-contest after Tete failed a drugs test. He finished his professional career with 29 wins, four losses and one no-contest in 34 fights.