06-07-2025
Cordina eyes 'big fights' after victory on comeback
Former IBF super-featherweight champion Joe Cordina has targeted a return to "big fights" after winning on his comeback to the returned from a 14-month lay-off with a hard-fought points win over Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz to claim the vacant WBO global lightweight title at Manchester's AO 33-year-old is now eyeing a world title shot at lightweight, where he won British and Commonwealth titles earlier in his career."It's amazing to add another belt to the collection – that's always what you want to do in boxing," Cordina said."But this is a WBO global – I want a WBO world title. Whether it's WBO, IBF or WBC – I don't care which one it is."
Cordina added: "Winning the WBO global puts me top 15 in the world so if it's the WBO title next so be it."Whether it's the belt holders – you've got Abdullah Mason and Sam Noakes fighting for the WBO."You've got [Raymond] Muratalla the IBF champion, Gervonta Davis – whichever puts me in line to fight for one of those belts. I'll take any of them."I just want to be back in the big fights and the big shows – that's what I'm in boxing for."Cordina was first crowned a world champion boxer when he beat Kenichi Ogawa to claim the IBF super-featherweight title in an epic display in Cardiff in June he was stripped of the title when he was unable to defend it within a 90-day window after suffering a broken then won it back with a hard-fought split-decision win over Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in April one successful defence, a majority decision win over Edward Vazquez, he lost the title to Northern Ireland's Anthont Cacace in a surprise defeat in Saudi Arabia in May Welshman had been due to make his comeback against Shakur Stevenson in October, but the WBC lightweight champion pulled out with a hand had to dig deep against the quick-handed and spirited 24-year-old Mexican, who had previously only lost once in his professional Cordina's experience and boxing craft saw him through to a unanimous decision, with scorecards of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92."It was a test I needed," Cordina told BBC Radio 5 Sport Extra."There were three or four opponents sent to me and they were a lot easier than that one - I picked him solely on his punch power."There was nothing to see of him and I couldn't watch him to see how good he was but his punch power – 13 knockouts out of 17 wins - I knew I had to be switched on."I couldn't take my eye off the ball even though with a bit of ring rust I managed to get the job done comfortably, so I was happy."
