Joe Cordina
Welsh boxer (born 1991)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joe Cordina (born 1 December 1991) is a Welsh professional boxer. He is a two-time super-featherweight world champion, having held the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title between 2022 and 2024.
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As an amateur, he won a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and gold at the 2015 European Championships, both in the lightweight division. He also represented Great Britain at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Early life
Amateur career
At the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, he lost in the first round of the lightweight event to Eugen Burhard of Germany by a score of 7–13.[2] In 2012, Cordina won a bronze medal at the European Under-22 Boxing Championships held in Russia. He defeated German boxer Artur Bril in his quarterfinal bout before losing 13–12 to Russian Maksim Shmiglev in the semi-finals.[3] He was eliminated from the 2013 AIBA World Boxing Championships after losing his first bout in the lightweight event to Lázaro Álvarez of Cuba.[2] At the 2012 European Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament, he was eliminated after his bout against David Joyce of Ireland was stopped in the third round.[2][4]
He represented Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Scotland. Competing in the men's lightweight division, he defeated Pat McCormack of England in the first round,[5] then Canada's David Gauthier in the round of 16.[6] In the quarterfinals he defeated Chad Milnes of New Zealand, guaranteeing himself at least a bronze medal.[7] He lost his semi-final to Scotland's Charlie Flynn by a split judge's decision and was eliminated from the tournament, to finish with a bronze medal.[8]
Cordina won the lightweight gold medal at the 2015 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria, beating Otan Eranosyan of Georgia in the final. He was the only British boxer to win a gold medal at the event.[9] At the 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships held in Doha, Qatar, he reached the quarterfinals of the lightweight division by beating Kwon Chol-guk of North Korea in the round of 16,[10] but was then eliminated after losing to Robson Conceição of Brazil.[11][12]
He boxed at the 2016 European Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament in Samsun, Turkey. He secured qualification for the lightweight event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by beating David Joyce, who had eliminated him from the 2012 Olympic qualification tournament, in the semi-finals.[4][13][14]
Professional career
Early career
Joe Cordina made his professional debut as a super-featherweight on 22 April 2017 at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, scoring a fourth-round technical knockout (TKO) victory over José Aguilar in a scheduled four round contest.[15] Cordina next faced Sergej Vib on 29 April 2017, on the Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko undercard. He won the fight by a first-round technical knockout. Cordina faced Josh Thorne on 27 May 2017, in his third professional bout. He won it by a first-round stoppage, as Thorne retired at the end of the opening round.[16] Cordina faced Jamie Speight on 1 September 2017, and extended his winning streak to four fights.[17] Cordina faced Lester Cantillano on 28 October 2017 on the Anthony Joshua vs. Carlos Takam undercard. He won the fight on points, which was the first decision victory of his professional career.[18] Cordina faced Lee Connelly on 13 December 2017, in his final fight of the year. He won the fight by a fourth-round technical knockout.[19]
Cordina was booked to face Hakim Ben Ali for the vacant WBA International lightweight title on 31 March 2018, on the Anthony Joshua vs. Joseph Parker undercard.[20] He won the fight by a third-round technical knockout.[21]
British and Commonwealth champion
Cordina vs. Dodd
Cordina made his first regional title defense against Sean Dodd on 4 August 2018, in a fight which was simultaneously a bout for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title as well.[22] He won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 117–112, 119–109 and 120–109.[23]
Cordina vs. Townend
Cordina faced Andy Townend on 20 April 2019 in his first Commonwealth title defense. The vacant British lightweight title was on the line as well.[24] He won the fight by a sixth-round technical knockout.[25]
Cordina vs. Gwynne
Cordina made the first defense of the British and Commonwealth titles on 31 August 2019.[26] He won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 116–110, 116–111 and 116–110.[27]
Rise up the ranks
Cordina was scheduled to fight Enrique Tinoco for the vacant WBA Continental super-featherweight title on 30 November 2019. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the fight 98–92 in his favor, while the third judge scored it 96–94 for him.[28]
Cordina faced Faroukh Kourbanov on 20 March 2021, following a 16-month absence from the sport. He won the fight by a close majority decision, with scores of 96–95, 96–96 and 98–93.[29]
Cordina next faced Joshuah Hernandez on 14 August 2021.[30] He won the fight by a first-round knockout, stopping Hernandez after just 53 seconds.[31]
Cordina made his first WBA Continental title defense against Miko Khatchatryan on 11 December 2021, over two years after he had won it. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the fight 98–92 for him, while the third judge scored it 100–90 in his favor.[32]
IBF super-featherweight champion
Cordina vs. Ogawa
Cordina knocked out Kenichi Ogawa in the second round to become the IBF super featherweight champion on 4 June 2022, at the Motorpoint Arena in Cordina's native Cardiff, Wales.[33]
Cordina was next scheduled to defend his belt against Shavkat Rakhimov on 5 November 2022. Due to a hand injury, Cordina had to pull out of the fight and was subsequently stripped of his IBF belt.[34]
Cordina vs. Rakhimov
On 22 April 2023, at the Cardiff International Arena, Cordina defeated Shavkat Rahimov by split decision to regain the IBF super featherweight title.[35]
Cordina vs. Vazquez
On 4 November 2023 in Monte Carlo, Monaco, Cordina made the first defense of his IBF super featherweight title against Edward Vazquez, with Cordina winning by majority decision.[36]
Cordina vs. Cacace
On 18 May 2024, on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Cordina lost his IBF super featherweight title via eighth-round TKO against Anthony Cacace.[37][38]
Step-up to lightweight
Cancelled bout with Shakur Stevenson
Cordina was scheduled to challenge WBC lightweight world champion Shakur Stevenson at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 12 October 2024 on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol.[39][40] On 11 September 2024, it was announced that Stevenson had suffered a hand injury and the fight was cancelled.[41][42]
Cordina vs. Quiroz
On 5 July 2025, at the AO Arena in Manchester, Cordina returned from a 14-month absence to defeat Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz by unanimous decision, and claim the vacant WBO Global lightweight title.[43][44]
Cordina vs. Flores Jr.
Cordina defeated Gabriel Flores Jr. via unanimous decision at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California, USA, on 13 December 2025.[45][46]
Personal life
Cordina has a daughter, born in 2015.[9]
Professional boxing record
| 20 fights | 19 wins | 1 loss |
|---|---|---|
| By knockout | 9 | 1 |
| By decision | 10 | 0 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Win | 19–1 | Gabriel Flores Jr. | UD | 12 | 13 Dec 2025 | Stockton Arena, Stockton, California, U.S | Won WBO International lightweight title |
| 19 | Win | 18–1 | Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz | UD | 10 | 5 Jul 2025 | Manchester Arena, Manchester, England | Won vacant WBO Global lightweight title |
| 18 | Loss | 17–1 | Anthony Cacace | TKO | 8 (12), 0:39 | 18 May 2024 | Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Lost IBF super-featherweight title; For IBO super-featherweight title |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Edward Vazquez | MD | 12 | 4 Nov 2023 | Casino de Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco | Retained IBF super-featherweight title |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Shavkat Rakhimov | SD | 12 | 22 Apr 2023 | Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, Wales | Won IBF super-featherweight title |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Kenichi Ogawa | KO | 2 (12), 1:15 | 4 Jun 2022 | Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales | Won IBF super-featherweight title |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Miko Khatchatryan | UD | 10 | 11 Dec 2021 | Echo Arena, Liverpool, England | Retained WBA Continental super-featherweight title |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Joshuah Hernandez | KO | 1 (10), 0:53 | 14 Aug 2021 | Matchroom Headquarters, Brentwood, England | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Faroukh Kourbanov | MD | 10 | 20 Mar 2021 | The SSE Arena, London, England | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Enrique Tinoco | UD | 10 | 30 Nov 2019 | Casino de Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco | Won vacant WBA Continental super-featherweight title |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Gavin Gwynne | UD | 12 | 31 Aug 2019 | The O2 Arena, London, England | Retained British and Commonwealth lightweight titles |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Andy Townend | TKO | 6 (12), 2:51 | 20 Apr 2019 | The O2 Arena, London, England | Retained Commonwealth lightweight title; Won vacant British lightweight title |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Sean Dodd | UD | 12 | 4 Aug 2018 | Ice Arena Wales, Cardiff, Wales | Retained WBA International lightweight title; Won vacant Commonwealth lightweight title |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Hakim Ben Ali | TKO | 3 (10), 2:41 | 31 Mar 2018 | Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | Won vacant WBA International lightweight title |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Lee Connelly | TKO | 4 (8), 2:19 | 13 Dec 2017 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Lester Cantillano | PTS | 4 | 28 Oct 2017 | Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Jamie Speight | TKO | 1 (6), 2:28 | 1 Sep 2017 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Josh Thorne | RTD | 1 (4), 3:00 | 27 May 2017 | Bramall Lane, Sheffield, England | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Sergej Vib | TKO | 1 (4), 1:59 | 29 Apr 2017 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Jose Aguilar | TKO | 4 (4), 2:17 | 22 Apr 2017 | Echo Arena, Liverpool, England |
