Via Barry Holbrook: Joe Cordina (15-0.9 KOs) has his eyes on WBO ultra-lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson next September in the UK after a nasty win over IBF champion Kenichi Ogawa (26-2-1, 18 KOs) last Saturday night.
Cordina knocked out Ogawa with a backhand in the second round at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales.
Soon after, Cordina and his promoter Edide Hearn learned that Shakur (18-0.9 KOs) had expressed a wish to come to Great Britain to fight a war of unification.
While Hearn has blasted the idea of a Stevenson-Cordina fight, Cordina likes the idea of fighting Stevenson and he wants to sit down with his promoters next week to discuss the possibility. .
Hearn wants to let Cordina make a simple title defense against either Zelfa Barrett or Mandatory Shavkat Rakhimov No. 1. Those won’t be matches that draw as much interest as the one against Shakur, but they’ll be easy to win. than.
A star was born
“Welsh boxing, no flags, no stars or ambassadors, nothing,” said Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, beaming at Cordina’s win. “There was a great atmosphere there tonight.
“That war [Ogawa vs. Cordina] should have been ten times bigger, but Wales lacked boxing because they didn’t have puppets. Even if Lee Selby has a world championship, he’s not really boxing in an unusual way.
“Now, you have a chance with a young man [Cordina], a handsome guy, a great ambassador, a good role model who can really develop boxing in Wales. Build it from the ground up.
There is a lot of young talent, but we have to come back. Joe was out of action with hand injuries and other misfortunes. Now, you have to stay active.
“Having a nice holiday with the family, and then back in September. He has two innings tonight, but a long camp. You have to keep the momentum going, and it will come back here in Wales.
“Joe’s knockout was very exciting. It makes people want to follow back and buy ticket. Hearn said: “Every Welsh boxer should forgive Joe Cordina because it means they have a future too.
Cordina wants the next Shakur Stevenson
“We obviously know he has a big right arm, but like I said, ‘If I catch you, he’s going to have to ask himself some questions,’ ‘Cordina to Matchroom said of the big win. his before Ogawa.
“I caught him tonight and the lights were off. Me and Tony [Sims] worked for hours on the same shot we called ‘Roberto Duran.’ Pretend to be downstairs, shove down the stairs, and then go up with your right hand.
“We practiced all the different exercises. Go down the stairs, grab a hook on the left and then come with a right hand and take him away. I’m just happy,” Cordina said.
Joe Calzaghe said: “It was unbelievable. “That right hand. The way you pass out with your body and rise above it, it’s unbelievable. A lot of people think it will get to the point.
“I would love to see him come back and defend his title a few more times here. Other warriors were inspired by him, and made that echo back to Cardiff,” Calzaghe said.
“That was the plan. My goal has always been to be world champion, and I did. I’ve bookmarked that now,” Cordina said. “Now, it’s time to keep my family safe, and that’s what I plan to do.
“Tonight, I don’t know where I got it from, but good night. Now I’m the world champion. Maybe, I know it’s still sunny in September. I know Shakur [Stevenson] said he would come.
“It’s okay, come over here. Maybe next week we’ll talk about everything, but tonight, I’m going to enjoy the moment, enjoy my time. I’m enjoying my night. I am the champion of the world,” said Cordina.
Collaborate to promote other warriors
Conor Benn said to Social boxingreacts to Joe Cordina’s second-round knockout win over Kenichi Ogawa.
“It happened so fast I missed it,” Benn said of Cordina of Ogawa’s KO. “I said in interviews, ‘Don’t be surprised if Joe gets eliminated.’ Those are the pictures that you don’t see.
“It’s clinical, it’s absolutely brutal. You don’t get better than that. Nothing tops that. That’s the level of the opponent. It’s a formidable world champion [Ogawa]whom everyone feared, worried about his power.
“On the last outing, he looked incredible. Joe just put him like that, and it was a good night. I’m not surprised, but sometimes you can say, ‘I thought it was going to happen, but when it actually happens, it’s like, ‘Wow! ‘.
“I told Joe, it’s really a moment, legacy, security, history. That’s all of those things. It doesn’t matter what the public says,” Benn said when informed that Cordina would be the underdog to Shakur Stevenson.
“The public can manipulate bookmakers or betting odds based on hype, not reality. Joe did what he needed to do in there. Very rarely do you get a stadium match where you get what Joe can bring to Cardiff City Stadium
“Definitely bring Shakur Stevenson here. It was a big fight,” said Benn.
“Inside, I say the way Cordina wins is boxing and fighting, but mostly boxing. Joshua Buatsi told Boxing Social.
“Anything can happen, and he just showed that he can punch. Come in, it’s the other guy [Ogawa] is a puncher. It’s not just the story. It was a fact, and he went in and took the belt, yanking the belt off of him.
“He had that confidence throughout the fight week. Listen, all credit to Cordina. We don’t need to start looking. Credit to Cordina. As for me, I put myself aside. I’m just happy for Cordina, who I know.
“That’s what I’m here for tonight. I came to comment, but I say, I sit in the front row to watch Cordina win a world title. I wouldn’t turn that down,” Buatsi said.
