Welsh Boxer Targets World Title Shot at Lightweight

Former IBF super-featherweight champion Joe Cordina has set his sights on a return to the “big fights” after winning the vacant WBO global lightweight title in his comeback bout. The 33-year-old Welshman defeated Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz with a hard-fought points win at Manchester’s AO Arena, ending a 14-month layoff from the sport.

Cordina, who won bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and was European amateur champion in 2015, is now eyeing a world title shot at lightweight. He previously held the IBF super-featherweight title, which he won in an epic display against Kenichi Ogawa in Cardiff in June 2022. However, he was stripped of the title when he was unable to defend it within a 90-day window after suffering a broken hand.

The victory over Gonzalez Quiroz, a 24-year-old Mexican with 13 knockouts in 17 wins, marked a significant test for Cordina. Despite being rusty after a long layoff, the Welshman’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 said in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Sport Extra. “I picked him solely on his punch power, and I was happy to get the job done comfortably despite a bit of ring rust.”

Cordina’s sights are now set on a world title shot, with the WBO global title win putting him top 15 in the world rankings. He is eyeing a fight against the current WBO world champion, Abdullah Mason, or the IBF champion, Raymond Muratalla, with the ultimate goal of claiming one of the four major world titles in the lightweight division.

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 Gonzalez Quiroz, who had previously only lost once in his professional career.

Cordina’s experience and skills in the ring have been honed through his amateur career, where he won numerous titles, including the European amateur championship in 2015. He turned professional in 2016 and quickly made a name for himself in the boxing world, winning the British and Commonwealth titles at lightweight.

With his sights set on the big fights, Cordina is confident that he has what it takes to become a world champion. “I just want to be back in the big fights and the big shows – that’s what I’m in boxing for,” he said.