Latest news with #GaryLockett
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'I'll be firing on all cylinders'
Joe Cordina says he will be "firing on all cylinders" when he makes his long-awaited return to the ring on Saturday against Mexico's Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz on the undercard of Jack Catterall's bout with Harlem Eubank at Manchester's AO 33-year-old Welshman has been out of action for more than a year, but will be eager to make a statement as he steps back up to lightweight, the division in which he previously captured British and Commonwealth titles."I'm just happy to finally get a date," Cordina told BBC Sport. "I've been ready to fight since October last year."Cordina had been due to face WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson in a high-profile bout last October but the American was forced to withdraw through injury."I was a bit frustrated, as a fighter you always want to be involved in those big American fights," Cordina added. The former IBF super-featherweight world champion has now settled permanently back in Wales after spending much of his career training away from home."For the last 16 out of my 18-year career I've lived away," Cordina explained. "But now I'm experienced enough to keep away all the distractions. To come back to Cardiff, be around my family and leave the gym to go home to my kids, it's a nice feeling."Cordina will prepare for his comeback alongside respected Welsh trainer Gary Lockett, who he has long admired."I've always trained at Gary's gym when I'm home. He was technically sound as a fighter and he's technically sound as a trainer," Cordina said. "Basics are what you need to win boxing fights - he teaches that better than most."In Quiroz, Cordina faces a relatively unknown, but dangerous opponent. The Mexican lightweight boasts a record of 17 wins and one defeat, with 13 victories coming by knockout."If I'm going to be world champion again, it's someone I have to get through," Cordina said. "They offered me two opponents - one was 19-0 with six knockouts, the other was 17-1. This one I have to respect his power, it'll keep me switched on. I'll be firing on all cylinders."Saturday's fight marks an important step for Cordina as he looks to put a frustrating year behind him and move back towards world title contention.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Cordina to return at lightweight against Gonzalez
Former IBF super-featherweight champion Joe Cordina will return to the ring on 5 July to fight Mexico's Jaret Gonzalez at 33, lost his title to Anthony Cacace in a surprise defeat in Saudi Arabia 13 months Welsh boxer had been due to make his comeback against Shakur Stevenson in October, but the WBC lightweight champion pulled out with a hand return to lightweight - where he won British and Commonwealth titles earlier in his career - will come on the undercard of Jack Catterall v Harlem Eubank at Manchester's AO to the announcement on social media Cordina simply posted: "Baby I'm back."Gonzalez, 24, is 17-1 in a career that includes 13 KOs, similar to the Welshman's 17-1 (9 KOs), though not at the same level as Cordina who has moved back to south Wales and will train for the fight with Gary Lockett. Cardiff's Cordina was a decorated amateur boxer who fought at an Olympics and in the same Team GB programme as his friend Anthony won bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and was European amateur champion in turning professional in 2017 he became Wales' 13th world champion boxer when he beat Kenichi Ogawa to claim the IBF super-featherweight title in June was stripped of the title when he was unable to defend it within a 90-day window after suffering a broken hand but won it back with a hard-fought split-decision win over Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in April then made one successful defence, a majority decision win over Edward Vazquez, before losing to Northern Ireland's Cacace in May to that first professional defeat promoter Eddie Hearn had predicted Cordina was set for some "huge fights" if he could retain his previous promotional contract with Hearn's Matchroom having since elapsed, this will be Cordina's first fight of a new deal with the organisation.
