FORMER IBF world super-featherweight world champion Joe Cordina suffered a first career defeat last year, and currently finds himself without promotional backing or a belt to his name.
Now, after moving up in weight following difficulties making the 130lb limit, the proud Welshman has revealed his plans to return to the ring, hoping to bounce back and mount a world title challenge at lightweight.
Cordina, 17-1 (9 KOs), halted Kenichi Ogawa with a stunning second-round knockout on home soil back in 2022 before making two defences of his IBF strap in 2023, outpointing Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov and Edward Vazquez in two razor tight battles.
However, 2024 saw the 33-year-old’s reign come to a surprising end as he was stopped after eight rounds of a gruelling clash with Anthony Cacace in May, visibly impacted by his struggles with the weight but still becoming a free agent in the aftermath.
In an interview with Boxing News’ Andi Purewal, Cordina told of his disappointment in losing his promotional backing, clearly feeling underappreciated and overlooked despite just one career defeat to his name.
“It’s a bit s**t because you don’t know where you are,” he admitted. “If I was a free agent as a world champion then obviously it would be a bit different, but that is what happens when money is involved; everyone wants a piece of the pie. Then, as soon as the ship starts to sink, everyone jumps off.”
Nevertheless, Cordina had been announced as an October opponent for Shakur Stevenson in a bid to claim the WBC lightweight title last year, only for Stevenson to pull out of the bout due to injury and then opt to face Floyd Schofield in February, who would then pull out and be replaced by Josh Padley.
Plans hampered, a frustrated Cordina now hopes to put an end to his inactivity and return to action soon, revealing his ambitions to fight twice this year with a first outing pencilled in to take place before the second half of the calendar.
“To be honest, I just want to get out, get training and just make sure I am as active as I can be,” he added.
“By the time that May comes, it will be a year since I have boxed, so I need to get out. Whether I have a run out or jump back in [I don’t know], but I am one of these fighters who believes that, if I’m in with a good fighter, then I am going to perform [at my best].
“The plan is to have a warm-up but, like I say, the better the fighter, the better I am going to perform. For me, if I have someone that I don’t believe is anywhere near my level, I might drop down to his level. So I don’t really want to do that and get complacent.
“I am looking at the end of May or early June, then pick up towards Autumn and Winter.”
Regardless of his inactivity and the fact that he has not fought consistently at the weight, Cordina currently sits as the number six-ranked contender with the WBC and may be just one fight away from revisiting a challenge for Stevenson’s title.
