Former world boxing champion shot dead in South Africa

Former world boxing champion Zolani Tete has been shot dead outside his home in South Africa.

South Africa's Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gaeton Mackenzie, said the 38-year-old boxer was killed in his car. A 27-year-old woman who was in the same car with him was taken to hospital with multiple injuries.

According to police, the incident took place in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape province. Tete was waiting at his residence to open the gate when he was ambushed by two masked gunmen.

Zolani Tete held the WBF world title in 2007-2008 and the WBO world title in 2017 and 2019. One of the boxer's biggest victories came in 2014 in Japan, when he defeated Teiru Kinoshita on points to become the IBF champion.

The boxer also knocked out his opponent in the 11th second of his title fight against Siboniso Gonya in 2017. This is recognized as the fastest knockout in the history of world championship fights. Tete's professional career ended with 29 wins (22 of which were knockouts) and 4 losses.

He last entered the ring in July 2022 at the Wembley Arena in London against Briton Jason Cunningham. However, the fight was later annulled after a positive doping test was taken from him, and Tete was given a four-year ban. The boxer, who has always insisted that he did not intentionally take a banned substance, had his suspension expire in July of this year and was preparing to return to the ring.