SEAN McGoldrick insists the decision to leave St Joseph’s Boxing Club after 18 years was “massive”, but one he definitely doesn’t regret.

It emerged yesterday that the Newport bantamweight left the gym he joined at the age of eight following his last fight, a points defeat of Craig Derbyshire on June 6.

Since then he has travelled the country in search of training opportunities ahead of tomorrow night’s clash with Ireland’s Dylan McDonagh in Cardiff.

He eventually settled not far from home with ex-world champion Gavin Rees’ stable at Pantside ABC near Newbridge – as has another former Tony Borg-trained St Joes fighter.

Blackwood’s Craig Evans, crowned WBO European lightweight king in November 2016 (pictured below), has joined the set-up prior to his September 7 outing in the Welsh capital.

South Wales Argus:

For McGoldrick, he is yet to decide where his future lies on a permanent basis, but could have a trainer in place for when he appears on that same MTK Global show.

Speaking about his departure from St Joes, the 26-year-old Commonwealth Games gold medallist said: “All I really knew was that I needed a change, and that’s what I’ve done.

“You can pick little things out but with boxing you’ve got to be selfish and I don’t think I have been enough over the last 18 months.

“These next 12 months are going to be really important for me, I want to start pushing on for titles.

“I just felt like I needed something different. I’d been there since I was eight so it was a massive decision for me.

“It’s something that I didn’t just think about overnight, it was a long process.

“It was nothing against anybody in the gym, the gym’s a brilliant place and I’ve got some amazing memories.

“It was difficult for me because I’d been there for such a long time but sometimes you need that new lease of life.”

He added: “I was gutted to leave the gym but I spoke to everyone and they understood, and pretty much everyone said it was probably what was best for me.

“When they say that to me it reassures me that I’m doing the right thing.

“Tony’s a professional and understands. We’re still friends, there’s no hard feelings, it’s just that sometimes there are things you’ve got to do.

“I’m in a better place now than what I was.

“I think I was sort of in a hole and now I feel like I’ve taken myself out of that hole.”

Explaining what he did after leaving St Joes, he continued: “I left the gym and tried a couple of places but my focus was always on this fight, never on the trainer.

“Maybe about a month or two weeks ago I spoke to Gavin and he said he’d help me for this fight which was very good of him.

“He said ‘come down, I’ll help you and whatever you want to do after, you’ll do after’. For me, it was all about being really professional for this fight.

“My full focus and attention was on this fight and that’s why I felt I couldn’t really make a decision on where I was going to go.

“I floated about a little bit with different trainers, but I don’t think I was focused on finding a trainer, I was fully focused on the fight.

“It was just about finding someone who could help me for now and then whatever I do will be after the fight.”

On the possibility of staying with Rees, McGoldrick, who has won all six contests in the professional ranks after a hugely successful amateur career, said: “I’m not saying that I won’t stay with Gavin Rees but I’ve got options.

“When I went up with Gavin there are boys there that I’m familiar with so it wasn’t like I had to leave home.

“Craig Evans is there now, Kody Davies, and all the other boys, so I was straight into a good camp with good people.

“I knew Gavin from before and I’ve got a good friendship with him, so it was easy to fall in and get on with things and get my teeth stuck into a good camp.

“It’s definitely a strong option but, like I said, my focus hasn’t been on who is going to be my trainer, it has been about getting this fight done with a really professional performance.”