Ex-champ Petelo loses after 4-year absence

07/05/2005

Ex-champ Petelo loses after 4-year absence

Former IBF 105-pound champion Zolani Petelo returned to the ring for the first time since 2001 and the results weren't good. Fighting as a bantamweight, Petelo dropped an eight-round majority decision to Zolile Mbityi by scores of 77-77 and 78-76 (twice).  According to South Africa's SuperSport Zone, the decision could easily have gone to Petelo.  Mbityi hadn't won a fight since 2002. After winning six championship bouts, Petelo gave up his IBF title without a fight to move up to 108. He was dismantled over eight rounds by all-time great Ricardo Lopez in 2001 and disappeared from the boxing scene after that. On the same card, Simphiwe Veteyka defended the South African bantamweight championship with a seventh-round stoppage of Luthando Maqolo.  --Scott Shaffer