According to South African website Dispatch Live, former two-division champion Zolani Tete has been suspended for four years in the United Kingdom for doping violations committed in 2022. The prohibited substance stanozolol, a muscle-cutting agent, was found in Tete's urine after a brutal fourth-round knockout win over Jason Cunningham at Wembley Arena in England on July 2, 2022. The suspension was issued by United Kingdom Anti-Doping (AKAD) on Saturday. It remains to be seen if Tete's native South Africa will honor the suspension. A former champion at 115 and 118 pounds, Tete has not fought since the Cunninghan bout. Meanwhile, Cunningham has fought twice since the Tete fight, winning once and losing once,
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
DEC 1, 2022: The WBO has ordered Zolani Tete of South Africa to show cause within the next ten days why he should not lose his position in the WBO ratings in the junior featherweight division over a positive test for performance enhancing substances. The order was contained in a letter from the WBO to Tete's promoter, Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions. Tete last fought in July, defeating Jason Cunningham in brutal fashion in the fourth round. The bout was supposed to be a test for Tete (30-4) in his third weight class, super bantamweight, but he won easily. Tete knocked Cunningham down in round four. Cunningham got back up, and Tete made him sorry for his effort, finishing off Cunningham by leaving him unconscious on the mat. The Commonwealth super bantamweight championship was on the line for the Tete-Cunningham clash.
JULY 3, 2022: In London, former two-division champion Zolani Tete of South Africa defeated Jason Cunningham in brutal fashion in the fourth round. The bout was supposed to be a test for Tete (30-4) in his third weight class, super bantamweight, but he won easily. Tete knocked Cunningham down in round four. Cunningham got back up, and Tete made him sorry for his effort,
finishing off Cunningham in hall-of-fame fashion that left Cunningham unconscious on the mat. Age 34, Tete last held a world title at bantamweight, the WBO belt. Prior to that, he held the IBF super flyweight title, which he won by defeating Paul Butler in Liverpool back in 2015. A shock defeat to John Riel Casimero cost him his bantamweight title in late 2019 and prompted a move to super bantamweight. Tete returned to the ring in typical fashion with a first-round stoppage over weak opposition in Johannesburg in December 2021. The Commonwealth super bantamweight championship was on the line for the Tete-Cunningham clash.
