.
Zolani Tete has a chance of winning the vacant IBF junior bantamweight title when he fights in Japan this weekend. The South African and unbeaten Japanese Teiru Kinoshita clash in Kobe on Friday night for a belt that became vacant when Japan’s Daiki Kameda moved up a division. It could be an excellent opportunity for Tete, the #1 contender, who has a distinct advantage in punching power. He earned the right to meet Kinoshita when he knocked out former IBF junior bantamweight champion Juan Carlos Sanchez in the tenth round of an elimination bout in November last year.
The 26-year-old Tete, who made his professional debut in May 2006, has a record of 18 wins, with 16 inside the distance, and 3 defeats. He won the World Boxing Foundation flyweight belt when he stopped Vicky Tahumil in the fourth round In September 2007 and defended it twice before relinquishing the title.
His only defeats were against Moruti Mthalane, also from South Africa, who stopped him in the fifth round of a challenge for the IBF flyweight title, and to Alberto Rosas and Roberto Sosa who both beat him on points over twelve rounds in IBF title eliminators.
Kinoshota, 28, is ranked #6 by the IBF and has a record of 19-0-1, with only 3 knockouts. He holds the Japanese super-flyweight title but has never fought for a “world” title. He has also not faced any of the top fighters in the division but is a competent all-round boxer with good technical skills. However, with only three wins inside the distance in 20 fights, he won’t scare Tete.
http://www.fightnews.com/
Related Fight Posts
- 2014/07/19 -- Bernard Hopkins vs. Sergey Kovalev possible for November 8th at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York
Kovalev has a title defense coming up next month against unbeaten Blake Caparello (19-0-1, 6 KOs) on August 2nd ... - 2014/07/19 -- Vyacheslav Glazkov fighting Aug. 9
Heavyweight contender Vyacheslav Czar Glazkov, coming off a career-best victory against longtime contender Tomas... - 2014/07/20 -- Half-Year Awards – The Upsets
With so many top-level fighters put together in evenly matched bouts, you would think that major upsets would be... - 2014/07/20 -- Palacios returns September 20
Former two time world title challenger Francisco “Wizard” Palacios (21-2, 13 KOs) returns to the ring on Septemb... - 2014/07/20 -- British light-welterweight: Willie Limond beats Curtis Woodhouse on points in Glasgow
It was a case of third time lucky for Willie Limond as he finally achieved his British title dream with a stylis... - 2014/07/19 -- Victor Henry Takes Out Tokoro, Nam Phan Rebounds at Grandslam MMA ‘Way of the Cage’
If Victor Henry was brought to Japan to become a “W” on someone else’s record, nobody told the Californian.
Hen... - 2014/07/20 -- AWE TV picks up Fury-Chisora grudge match
The July 26 heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury (22-0 16 KOs) and Dereck Chisora (20-4, 13 KOs) at the Phones 4... - 2014/07/20 -- California Kid Subs Caceres in Three
LAS VEGAS, July 5 – The streak continues. Bantamweight contender Urijah Faber, the man who has never lost a non-... - 2014/07/20 -- Interview: Heavyweight contender Lucas Browne
WBC #7, IBF #7, WBA #13 heavyweight Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne talks to Fightnews to say he is confident of defeat... - 2014/07/19 -- Kevin Croom In Action Tonight, Poised To Push Winning Streak To Nine
It has been nearly three-months since Kevin Croom last fought and that will be the longest lay-off for the Albuq... - 2014/07/19 -- UFN Dublin Main Card Fantasy Preview
It's been five long years since the UFC last landed on the Emerald Isle of Ireland, but this weekend marks the r...