Cordina eyes 'big fights' after victory on comeback

Joe Cordina won bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and was European amateur champion in 2015.

Former IBF super-featherweight champion Joe Cordina has targeted a return to "big fights" after winning on his comeback to the ring.

Cordina 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 Arena.

The 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 2022.

But he was stripped of the title when he was unable to defend it within a 90-day window after suffering a broken hand.

He then won it back with a hard-fought split-decision win over Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in April 2023.

After 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 2024.

The Welshman had been due to make his comeback against Shakur Stevenson in October, but the WBC lightweight champion pulled out with a hand injury.

Cordina had to dig deep against the quick-handed and spirited 24-year-old Mexican, who had previously only lost once in his professional career.

But 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."