A long-standing marriage between former International Boxing Organisation (IBO) champion Kevin Lerena and Golden Gloves has come to end.
The 32-year-old erstwhile IBO cruiserweight titlist confirmed his departure from Golden Gloves on Friday afternoon.
“Yes, I have officially left Golden Gloves Promotions. I want to make it clear that I hold no hard feelings or bitterness. I am genuinely grateful for the platform they provided me here in the country,” Lerena said.
“Golden Gloves gave me that chance to shine and I took full advantage of it, becoming their flagship fighter for many years. However, boxing is a business. If you are not filling venues, gaining traction and winning when it matters most, you become obsolete. I never became obsolete, I consistently excelled in all of those areas and more.”
Lerena, who is trained by Peter Smith in Johannesburg, strongly believes that the time had come for him to move on.
“In every athlete’s career, there comes a time to step out of your comfort zone and spread your wings. For me, that time has come,” he said.
