Two-time IBF super-featherweight champion Joe Cordina is scheduled for a difficult but potentially fruitful lightweight debut as he gears up to take on Shakur Stevenson on a major card in two months’ time. Although, the weight is not the only thing that will be different for the Welshman.
After picking up bronze for Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and a gold medal at the European Amateur Championships the following year, Cordina went on to represent Great Britain at the Rio 2016. However, the lightweight was unable to progress to the quarter-finals after losing a split-decision to Uzbekistan’s Hurshid Tojibaev in the last 16.
That defeat prompted a switch to the professional ranks and Cordina partnered up with Tony Sims, as well as Matchroom Boxing to kick start his second career in boxing. Three of his first five contests were on major undercards and it was clear from the get-go that Cordina would soon rise to the top, notably scoring first-round knockout wins on both the Joshua-Klitschko and Brook-Spence Jr. bills.
In just his ninth professional outing, Cordina knocked out Andy Townend to claim the British lightweight title, but it was at super-featherweight where Cordina announced himself onto the world stage.
Returning back to Cardiff as the man to get behind, Cordina brought a world title bout to his hometown when he was tasked with IBF super-featherweight champion Kenichi Ogawa in June 2022 and the Japanese champion was dealt with shocking ease, being stopped with a knockout of the year contender in the second round. Yet, Cordina’s title reign did not last long, as he was controversially stripped of the belt when unable to face his mandatory challenger due to an injury just four months later.
Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov was the man who assumed Cordina’s position, triumphing over Manchester’s Zelfa Barrett in a bid for the vacant title, but Cordina soon returned to the 130lb throne with a split-decision victory over Rakhimov in April 2023, and made a first successful world title defence when outpointing Edward Vazquez in Monaco last November.
In May, Cordina’s reign was once again halted, only this time it was at the hands of Anthony Cacace. The Northern Irishman was able to pull off a huge upset on the Fury-Usyk II undercard as he handed Cordina a first career defeat – reportedly aided by Cordina’s struggles to make the super-featherweight weight limit, encouraging Cordina to move up to 135lbs.
Now it has been confirmed that Cordina will challenge for Shakur Stevenson’s WBC lightweight title on his debut at the weight, but Boxing Scene reports that he will do so without Tony Sims by his side.
“Sims, who has worked with Cordina for the past seven years and who remains on good terms with his former fighter, will not be in his corner.
“Cordina is expected to announce his new trainer soon, and, regardless of the existing trend among many of his contemporaries who seek to work with American trainers, to recruit another based in Britain. “
Stevenson-Cordina will take place on the blockbuster Beterbiev-Bivol card on October 12th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the challenger will hope to right the wrongs of his latest trip to the Middle Eastern Kingdom.
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