British former world champion ready to make a big statement this weekend

Joe Cordina says he is glad to be back where he belongs now, fighting at lightweight.

The 34-year-old makes his US debut against Gabriel Flores Jr. in Stockton this Saturday on the undercard of Diego Pacheco vs. Kevin Lele Sadjo, live on DAZN.

The Welshman campaigned at 135lbs earlier in his career before dropping to super featherweight to claim a world title with a stunning knockout of Kenichi Ogawa in 2022.

However, he lost that IBF belt in his third defence when stopped by Anthony Cacace in May last year, and that signalled a return to lightweight.

He outpointed Jaret Gonzalez on his reappearance in July this year, and he is now ready to push on towards becoming a two-weight world champion.

“Three fights ago, we wanted to move up,” Cordina told BoxingScene.

“I didn’t, and we paid the price for it. We’re here now, though. And we’re prepared to make the big fights; get this place back to the best fighting the best. It’s not happening enough in this division.

“I don’t just want to win another world title; I want to win all the titles and be known as the best.

It wasn’t happening for a long time [at 135lbs], or when I was at [130lbs], no matter how hard we tried to get those other guys in the ring. Now that I’m back where I belong, I’m not going to let anyone waste my time. Straight to business, every fight is a big fight.”

Cordina was due to take on Shakur Stevenson last year before the American was injured, and he believes he is ready to take over at lightweight if the bigger name departs the division.

He added: “Shakur has a big fight coming up with Teofimo Lopez, but that’s at [140lbs],

"So, who knows if he comes back. Then you have [WBA 135lbs titlist] Gervonta Davis, nobody knows what’s going on there, if he’ll even fight again.

“So, that’s the two biggest names and those two belts being tied up. When you get everyone in a logjam just fighting for that one belt that’s available, that’s when things really slow down.

“We have to get away from that, and I believe with this division about to become wide open, that I can be the one to lead it.

“That’s when the excitement happens, when the fans start buzzing.

“You get the best of the best willing to fight each other, and you prove to the world who the number one [fighter] is – that’s what the sport misses out on so many times.”

As for his outing this weekend, Cordina plans to make a big statement against Flores Jr. before moving on to world honours.

“We’re here to turn up, f—ck shit up and bounce,” Cordina stated.  

“We’re on the verge of fighting for the world title – this is the route I want to go.

“From now on, if a fight takes me off the path of fighting for a world title, then it don’t interest me. As long as it keeps me on a path to win a world title, I’m happy.”

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