The management of the slain former two-time world champion Zolani Tete dismissed reports that their boxing club had closed down, but confirmed it had yet to reopen since his death last month.
Reports have begun to circulate that All Winners Boxing Club in NU1 Mdantsane was no longer operating, with its boxers having opted to train at other clubs.
The club was rocked by Tete’s death after he was gunned down in Mdantsane in hit-and-run style, leaving the gym without a dedicated trainer.
Star boxer Azinga Fuzile dropped a bombshell this week when left to train in Johannesburg under former mentor Colin Nathan’s HotBox Gymnasium, though ex-SA champion Phumzile Matyhila will be in charge of training.
All Winners boss Mlandeli Tengimfene said he approached Nathan to help the Duncan Village star after he considered quitting boxing following Tete’s death.
Fuzile, who enjoyed a close relationship with Tete, broke down and wept at the memorial service while describing their friendship.
“Azinga was devastated after Zolani’s death that he even considered quitting boxing,” he said.
“So we had to sit down and plot the best way forward for him to resume his career, and decided for a change of scenery by taking him to Johannesburg.”
The move has reunited Fuzile with Nathan, who was part of the team in his failed challenge for the IBF world junior-lightweight title against Japanese Kenichi Ogawa in the US in 2021.
Tengimfene said Nathan agreed to help Fuzile get back to another world title shot, starting with preparations for his ring return on December 13.
Besides Fuzile’s return to Johannesburg, other boxers at All Winners are yet to report to the club, with some reportedly training in other gymnasiums.
The matter was worsened when the club was seen being used by another Mdantsane boxing trainer, Lunga Sekonyela, to train his boxers.
Tengimfene confirmed Sekonyela was training his boxers at the club to keep it open while its members were yet to return.
“Yes, Dokes [Sekonyela] has been using the club while we were away and busy with the Zolani situation," he said.
“The rest of our boxers are still scattered around with some training at Zolile “Gqo” Mahamba’s gymnasium until we reopen.”
Tengimfene said Lonki Witbooi would take over the training duties, combining his own boxers and All Winners members, while experienced amateur-qualified coach Andile Mofu would be brought in when preparing for fights.
Mofu was in charge when Fuzile beat Asanda Gingqi in the highly publicised derby at the Orient Theatre in April.
“Mofu was part of the decision to take Azinga to Matyhila, who, as people know, enjoys close relations with us as he was part of Zolani’s technical team.”
Matyhila, from Mdantsane but based in Johannesburg, was in Tete’s corner when he set the record for the fastest knockout in a world title bout by knocking out Siboniso Gonya in 11 seconds to retain his WBO bantamweight title in Belfast in 2017.
