It only took six seconds for boxer Zolani Tete to send opponent Siboniso Gonya to the mat in a knockout that took the world record for the shortest title fight ever.
The 29-year-old Tete slammed a lightning-quick jab to Gonya’s chin in a swing so fast that fans could barely see it happening at Belfast’s SSE Arena.
It was only Tete’s second swing at Gonya after a tentative jab when the pair first met in the ring. But that second swipe immediately sent Gonya down for the count giving Tete the fight only eleven seconds into the first round.
The fight allowed Tete to retain his WBO bantamweight title and served as his jumping point to call for a bout with IBF bantamweight world champ and Ireland’s own Ryan Burnett. With 18 wins, nine by knockout, and zero loses, Burnett is a tempting target for Tete.
“I would love to fight Ryan Burnett. I believe he stays here, this is his hometown, so we should see who is king of the bantamweights,” Tete said after he downed Gonya, according to the New York Post.
The short fight left Gonya was a bruised ego and his second loss of 13 outings.
The previous record for fastest KO was held by WBO super-bantamweight champion Daniel Jimenez who eliminated Harald Geier in only 17 seconds in a fight held in 1994.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
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