Latest news with #JoeCordina
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cordina to return at lightweight against Gonzalez
Joe Cordina has not fought since his only professional defeat in May 2024 [Getty Images] Former IBF super-featherweight champion Joe Cordina will return to the ring on 5 July to fight Mexico's Jaret Gonzalez at lightweight. Cordina, 33, lost his title to Anthony Cacace in a surprise defeat in Saudi Arabia 13 months ago. Advertisement The Welsh boxer had been due to make his comeback against Shakur Stevenson in October, but the WBC lightweight champion pulled out with a hand injury. Cordina's 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 Arena. Responding 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. Advertisement Cardiff's Cordina was a decorated amateur boxer who fought at an Olympics and in the same Team GB programme as his friend Anthony Joshua. He won bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and was European amateur champion in 2015. After 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 2022. He 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 2023. Advertisement He then made one successful defence, a majority decision win over Edward Vazquez, before losing to Northern Ireland's Cacace in May 2024. Prior to that first professional defeat promoter Eddie Hearn had predicted Cordina was set for some "huge fights" if he could retain his title. 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. More boxing from the BBC
BBC News
10 hours ago
- 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.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Anthony Cacace vs Ryan Garner - could twice cancelled fight be on the cards later this year?
Anthony Cacace may be fully focused on this weekend's bout with Leigh Wood, but there are always thoughts about what comes next for a fighter. A late bloomer and now 36, a shock technical knockout win over Joe Cordina to secure the IBF world super featherweight title last year has catapulted Cacace into the big time of British and Irish boxing. Prior to his world title shot, Cacace had been set to face fellow super featherweight Ryan Garner until that proposed bout fell through twice. With both men set to fight in the coming months, perhaps the duo will finally meet inside the ring. Cacace vs Garner cancellations have worked out for both parties In April 2022, Ryan Garner accepted the chance to step in on short notice to fight Anthony Cacace, only for the bout to fall through. A further meeting was scheduled for November 2023 but fell apart after Cacace injured his wrist. That proved to be a blessing in disguise for the Belfast fighter, who would be offered the chance to take on Joe Cordina for the IBF super featherweight world title the following year. Garner has since admitted that perhaps an earlier fight with Cacace would have proven to be a fool's errand. In fact, the man nicknamed the Piranha believed it was a bullet dodged. He told Queensbury Promotions' media: "I was the one that wanted that fight with Cacace, but now that I look back on it, it could have been too soon. Well, it would have been too soon, because I'm a different fighter now. So, I'm glad it never happened. Me being a fighter, I want the biggest fights, I want the biggest paydays, I want the chances. But now that I'm a bit older, more mature, I think that was too soon. With the benefit of time, Garner now feels differently. "At the time,' he says, 'I was like, 'I'm ready for this'. But now I look back and I've seen myself in the gym, and how physically much stronger I am now, a different head on my shoulders. That Ryan Garner isn't the Ryan Garner that is here today." Having avoided a potential loss in the form of Cacace, Garner has maintained his unbeaten record – with the Piranha now 17-0. Cacace is at a stage in his career where he wants the biggest fights possible, having eschewed defences of his IBF world super featherweight title in order to face Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood. In comparison, Garner is on the precipice of breaking into the world title picture, and whilst he may not carry the name power of Cacace's recent opponents, he can sell out an arena. The Piranha headlined a show at the Bournemouth International Centre in March, with thousands of his fans travelling from neighbouring Southampton to support their man. Garner's promoter Frank Warren has hinted that his fighter will return to Bournemouth in the summer in a possible defence of his recently acquired EBU super featherweight belt. According to the EBU, Garner is in private negotiations with James Dickens over a potential bout. A successful defence of his EBU crown would further increase Garner's stock and leave enough time in the final months of 2025 to arrange a fight with Cacace. Garner has long spoken about fighting at the home of his beloved Southampton FC, St. Mary's, and a fight with Cacace would draw a huge crowd to the Premier League stadium. Cacace has also shown that he is willing to enter hostile territory to fight, as evidenced by this weekend's bout in Wood's backyard of Nottingham. Sign up to a DAZN subscription to watch the very best boxing DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. It is not just about fight night, a DAZN membership also includes access to documentaries and features, weekly magazine shows, live fight watchalongs, press conferences, weight-ins, open workouts, exclusive interviews and access to training camps, and podcasts and vodcasts.
BBC News
11-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Belfast title fight would be 'unbelievable'
Anthony Cacace says he is hopeful of "doing something" in his home city of Belfast amid talk of a possible WBC super-featherweight world title shot against O'Shaquie 36-year-old vacated the IBF belt to face Leigh Wood on Saturday but retained his IBO title with a ruthless ninth-round stoppage of the former two-time world champion in over a year ago Cacace was an unknown outside of local boxing circles but has firmly established himself as a major player in the division, doing so mostly on the road with his latest victory coming on his opponent's home turf."I'm at the stage now where I'm literally top of the tree," said Cacace after extending his record to 24 wins and one loss from 25 fights. "I've disposed of all the top featherweights and super-featherweights in Britain, so I wouldn't mind bringing it back to Belfast and doing something before I hang up the gloves."Winning the WBC title in front of my home crowd, which I'm very capable of doing, would be unbelievable." Cacace's spectacular run that began 12 months ago when he stopped the previously undefeated Joe Cordina has led to him grabbing the attention of the boxing world and performances like Saturday will only serve to boost his stock the decisive ninth round, a long, snaking right followed by a left saw Wood stagger back and be held up by the ropes before the 36-year-old beat referee John Latham's there was no letting the challenger off the hook as Cacace finished superbly, thudding home punches that prompted Wood's trainer Ben Davison to throw in the Cacace's ninth win inside the distance, he said he did not want to afford Wood the opportunity to show his feted powers of recovery. "I thought to myself, you know, he's a Cinderella man."People have had him like that and then he ends up sparking them out, so I just said to myself, 'Empty the tank'. "I knew he was gone, and I was very aware that I could have blew up, but I felt that was him, I could see Ben there ready [so] just keep punching until he throws it in." 'I can't just stop now, can I? I'll have to keep going' Wood was returning to the ring after a 19-month break, but following wins over Cordina and Josh Warrington, Cacace has now beaten three two-time champions in succession."I don't know if I fought the best Leigh Wood, but I fought Leigh Wood as again he's another two-time world champion," he said."He's beaten some really good names. It was a fight he's been asking for, a fight that he's been telling everyone he was going to knock me out. "It just shows you that I'm better than what I look like sometimes and I hit harder than my records suggest."Cacace will turn 37 in February but, after his late rise through the division, said he has to "keep going". "Never in my wildest dreams, genuinely, did I ever think that I would be where I'm at and that's the truth," he added."We're living in dreamland compared to two years ago."I can't just stop now, can I? I'll have to keep going. I don't have many miles on the clock."
The Independent
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Sam Noakes: Will Britain's biggest prospect at lightweight make it into world title contention?
US fighters dominate the top end of the lightweight division, with all roads seemingly leading to the American pair of Gervonta 'Tank' Davis and Shakur Stevenson. In comparison, British boxing is currently suffering a drought of stars at lightweight. Former world champion Joe Cordina will shortly enter the fray after moving up from super-featherweight, while Josh Padley showed potential as a late replacement to fight Stevenson in February, a credible defeat that enabled the Yorkshireman to become a full-time professional. But the UK's biggest prospect in the division remains Sam Noakes, 16-0 (14 KOs), who is earning his flowers after a strong start to his career. Nicknamed 'Midge', Noakes is in action this evening as he takes on former Czech super-welterweight champion Patrik Balaz, on the card headlined by Anthony Cacace and Leigh Wood. Even looking past both Davis and Stevenson, who are in the conversation for the best pound-for-pound fighters currently active, there are plenty of Americans with impressive records in one of boxing's glamour divisions. Keyshawn Davis is the WBO title holder at lightweight, another unbeaten American in the division. Raymond Muratalla, who fights for the IBF interim world title this Friday is another US fighter at the top end of the 135lb pool. And then there is Lamont Roach, who received plaudits for his draw with Tank back in March, highlighting the competitiveness of the American lightweight scene. Comparisons between the American and UK lightweight landscapes might be futile, with all fighters targeting world glory rather than domestic honours. Despite Noakes's exploits at home, he is yet to get his chance outside of the British Isles. That is despite Noakes having held the Commonwealth, European, WBO international, and WBC international silver titles at different points in his unbeaten career. In fact, the man they call Midge has been involved in nine straight title fights, first fighting for honours in his eighth bout. Saturday's bout will be the first in a while where Noakes is not fighting to either earn or defend a belt. Hailing from Kent, Noakes has always been active since his professional debut in 2019. However, he has been non-stop in the last year, fighting four times in 2024. He has not just been kept busy with fights, but also his sparring sessions. Noakes was brought in to work with Stevenson ahead of the American's bout with Padley in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, leaving his fellow lightweight impressed. Stevenson told Queensbury Promotions: 'Truthfully, I ain't gonna lie, he's probably one of the strongest fighters I've been in the ring at 135lb. 'He's got a lot of power, and he's real tough, too. A good fighter. I think he may knock out Denys Berinchyk [former WBO world lightweight champion], but he can't beat Keyshawn. Keyshawn is a different animal.' Holder of the WBO's international belt, Noakes is currently ranked second by the organisation. Who stands ahead of him? Americans Keyshawn Davis and Raymond Muratalla. It seems Noakes might have to travel across the pond to fulfil his dreams of becoming a world champion.
