Joe Cordina knocks out Kenichi Ogawa in second round to win IBF super-featherweight title

Summary

Joe Cordina wins the IBF super featherweight championship, knocking out former title holder Kenichi Ogawa of Japan in the second round

Live Reporting

Michael Emons

Thanks and goodbyepublished at 23:28 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round KO
That's all for this page on a great night for Joe Cordina and a great night for Welsh boxing.
Thanks for joining us, until next time, bye for now.
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Cordina stuns Ogawa to win world title - read the reportpublished at 23:21 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round KO
Michael Pearlman
BBC Sport Wales at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Image source, Getty Images
Joe Cordina became Wales' 13th world champion as he stunned champion Kenichi Ogawa with a second-round knockout to take the IBF super-featherweight title.
Cordina becomes world champion in just his 15th fight as a professional after he produced the punch of a lifetime.
Cordina's huge right hook floored the champion who was unable to rise as Cordina won a world title in the most dramatic of circumstances.
"I am on top of the world," Cordina declared after his sensational victory.
A narrow favourite against a champion with real pedigree, the manner of Cordina's victory will send shockwaves through the super-featherweight division as he produced a thunderous shot to show he is unquestionably comfortable at a world level.
Cordina, a decorated amateur, has seen his opportunities limited in recent years by a hand injury that required surgery and threatened his career.
An exclusive clubpublished at 23:18 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round KO
That's 13 world champions in boxing for Wales now. Here's a tweet from one of the others...
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Entertaining the fanspublished at 23:14 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round KO
Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live
If this fight had been in Las Vegas in front of eight people and Shakur Stevenson had knocked out Ogawa in the second round like that we'd have said he's an all-time great.
That knockout punch from Joe Cordina has stuck 4,500 back through the turnstiles here.
'One of the best knockouts I've ever seen'published at 23:14 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round KO
Image source, Getty Images
Promoter Eddie Hearn told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Everything is off the performance. If you win a world title like that it goes crazy. Shakur Stevenson is already tweeting.
"Tonight was amazing, I can't stress the importance of winning fights like that, that knockout is seen globally and that's how you put your name on the bat.
"I fancied him to win by knockout because of how aggressive Ogawa is. The danger was is he good enough to produce on the night and the answer was absolutely.
"Respect to Ogawa I'm glad he's OK but that was one of the best knockouts I've ever seen. Why not get back out in September and get this ball rolling - it will lead to a big undisputed fight that's the reality."
'Congrats'published at 23:12 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round KO
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'It's all for this moment'published at 23:09 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round KO
Image source, Getty Images
New IBF Super-featherweight world champion Joe Cordina told BBC Radio 5 Live: "That feels amazing. It's how I did it. I knew I'd get the win tonight, the reception I had, I was going to knock down whatever in front of me.
"Me and Tony have been working hours on the same shots, not overcomplicating things. Tonight what we worked on in the gym came.
"Tony told me don't get drunk off your success in the fight and I knew that he's a big puncher. I knew to be calm, sensible and switched on and starting putting the shots together.
"Threes my lucky number and I'm the third world champion from Cardiff. All the sacrifices I've made keep me hungry and it's all for this moment."
It's sinking inpublished at 23:06 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round knockout
Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live
He had a couple of fights where he didn't look as good as we hoped and then suddenly tonight, he was the underdog.
When Cordina buckled down and spoke to Barry just then, it's like he suddenly realised what he'd achieved, all the sacrifices.
'A star is born'published at 23:05 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round knockout
Barry Jones
Former super-featherweight world champion on BBC Radio 5 live
I'm so proud of the kid, it feels like tonight a star is born.
Stevenson wants the smokepublished at 23:00 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round knockout
The best from Wales - who'd want to see this fight?
Either American two-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson is already trying to rile up Cordina, or he needs a geography lesson.
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'Tonight belongs to Wales'published at 22:58 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round knockout
Promoter Eddie Hearn says: "People questioned the power of Joe Cordina, tonight he announced himself to the world. If Welsh boxing needed a shot in the arm, this is the man who has done it.
"We managed to bring the champion to the home of Joe Cordina and to Cardiff. The work [trainer] Tony Sims has done, together they have taken it to the world championship.
"Tonight belongs to Wales and tonight belongs to Joe Cordina."
Postpublished at 22:57 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Ogawa v Cordina
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'A lifetime of work'published at 22:56 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
New world champion Joe Cordina says: "It is a lifetime of work gone into five and a half minutes of work. I'm just so thankful.
"I've been throwing some big punches in this camp, I've been in with the likes of Conor Benn and sparred with him and he is one of the most explosive boxers. We've been working hard in the gym.
"We've been working on that punch all camp and it's an amazing feeling when you put hours and hours into it and it comes off - in the fight and it's lights out."
'Will open eyes across the pond'published at 22:52 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round knockout
Barry Jones
Former super-featherweight world champion on BBC Radio 5 live
Let's be honest as biased as I am tonight, the manner and the way Joe's done it tonight will open eyes across the pond.
'He's worked all his life for this'published at 22:50 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round knockout
Joe Calzaghe
Former two-weight world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live
Mindblowing I can't believe it. That right hand what a punch the dominance of another Joe in Cardiff.
He's worked all his life for this from amateurs and pros. Seeing Joe just do that is fantastic for Welsh boxing.
Postpublished at 22:49 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight champion with second round knockout
Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live
Whoever he fights next he can sell the place out after that!
And the new...published at 22:46 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Ogawa v Cordina
Image source, BBC Sport
'A devastating right cross'published at 22:44 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Ogawa v Cordina
Ronald McIntosh
Boxing commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live
Joe Cordina has risen to the IBF super featherweighth champion of the world with a single shot!
The Welsh Wizard not having to conjure a spell but a devastating right cross to put Ogawa on the canvas.
He had no control of his sense and was counted out.
Cardiff has a new conquering hero!
Cordina becomes IBF world super-featherweight championpublished at 22:42 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
Breaking
Joe Cordina wins it with a knockout inside five minutes. The Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff goes crazy! He's done it!
Image source, Getty Images
Ogawa is DOWNpublished at 22:41 British Summer Time 4 June 2022
A sensational shot, an absolutely crushing right hand from Joe Cordina and Ogawa collapses, that could be it. That could be it.