GIVEN Zolani Tete’s speed, reach and power, Argentinian Omar Narvaez will likely be under heavy weather from the first bell, and will need to draw on all the experience of his 52 fights to trouble the South African on Saturday.
By any reckoning, “Last Born” as he’s popularly known in boxing circles, is among the top three boxers in Mzansi, a hard-punching southpaw with sublime skills.
Tomorrow, Tete gets to demonstrate his ability to a worldwide television audience when he features on a major fight card in Northern Ireland, defending his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) bantamweight title against Narvaez.
The action, to be broadcast live on SuperSport 5 from 8.30pm, will be headlined by former Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year Carl “The Jackal” Frampton up against former four-weight world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire for the interim WBO featherweight title.
Belfast is a happy hunting ground for Tete, who last time out blasted Siboniso Gonya in a world record 11 seconds to defend his title. It showed just how explosive Tete can be and put his bantamweight rivals on warning.
Tete is unbeaten in six years and yearns to fight the likes of other champions Jamie McDonnell and Ryan Burnett, but the feeling isn’t mutual – they want no part of him. For now, he must make do with a defence against the No 1 contender, a statistically impressive fighter, but at 42 somewhat long in the tooth.
The two-time champion, who will be taking part in his 32nd world title fight, the third most in history, is also unaccustomed to the division, having only fought at bantamweight in recent years.
“I have a lot of respect for him,” said Tete.
“But I’m at my best now. No-one, including Omar, can stand in my way.
“Age is against him and he is too short to get close to me. My aim is to be the best in the world.”
Frampton, fighting at home in Belfast, is 5-1 in world title fights versus current or past world champions.
He has defeated world champions such as Kiko Martinez (twice), Scott Quigg and Leo Santa Cruz, the reigning World Boxing Association featherweight world champion who defeated Frampton in their rematch last January.
The US-based Donaire is a seven-time, four-division world champion.
