Share

Pena takes a break, relinquishes EFC belt

Johannesburg - At the final event of 2017, the undisputed and undefeated bantamweight champion, Demarte ‘The Wolf’ Pena, stated that he needed a break from competition.

After weeks of discussions, Pena has decided to officially relinquish his EFC belt and has left the hotly contested bantamweight division vacant.

“I am relinquishing the title to focus on other things in my life. It isn’t right to hold up the division, others should fight for the belt and get their opportunity,” stated Pena.

After a mammoth and successful court battle, coaching on the massively viewed reality TV show ‘The Fighter’, and going on to defend his title in the biggest fight in his career, 2017 was likely the most physically and emotionally taxing year of his life. And with no shortage of highly competitive challengers pushing him to continue to perform at his best and above the rest, it’s understandable that the Angolan star wants some time off.

“Although we tried everything to keep Demarte in competition, him deciding to relinquish has created some really interesting and exciting prospects for the bantamweight division,” stated EFC President, Cairo Howarth.

“We have the number one contender, France’s Phillipé Rouch and Demarte’s former team-mate and the former flyweight interim champ, JP Buys, ready to go. The competition for the now vacant title is huge!

“We look forward to working closely with Demarte outside of the Hexagon,” Howarth concluded.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE