Joe Cordina is looking to become a two-time world champion when he faces Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in the main event at Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff, Wales on Saturday, April 22. Battling it out in front of his home country crowd, former IBF super featherweight titleholder is set to reclaim the belt against current champion from Tajikistan. The pair squares off in the 12-round world championship bout live stream on DAZN.
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Undefeated Cordina (15-0, 9 KOs) last fought in June 2022 also in Cardiff, where he dethroned Japan’s Kenichi Ogawa by knockout in the second round and took the title.
“It was a shot that me and Tony worked on for hours and hours in the gym,” Cordina recalled. “It just felt like putting my hand in water, it was that clean. I looked at him and his head had bounced off the canvas, and I just thought, ‘he’s finished’. Going to the corner, I could see him trying to get up and I started to panic a bit – I don’t need to do 12 rounds here! Good night, he was asleep.”
Cordina was scheduled to make his first defense against Rakhimov (17-0-1, 14 KOs) last November in Abu Dhabi, but was forced to withdraw due to injury, and subsequently stripped of his title.
“My first week back sparring, I threw my first proper backhand, and I just felt something pop in my hand and I was thinking, ‘oh my god’,” Cordina said. “The lady at the X-ray told me it was a clean break. I had the operation. It was after my surgery that I knew I was getting stripped. That wasn’t a nice moment, I’m not going to lie. I was in a bit of a bad place. I didn’t really want to see people, I was stuck in the house for like two weeks. Then I was like, ‘f*** this I need to get out’.”
‘I’m going to f*** you up, see that?
Rakhimov fought on Bivol vs Ramirez card and lifted the vacant strap by TKO in the ninth round against Manchester’s Zelfa Barrett.
“It was quite frustrating me being there and watching those two [Rakhimov and Barrett] – I’m not going to lie. I looked at him [Rakhimov] and said, ‘I’m going to f*** you up, see that? [clenches right hand] I’m going to land that right on your chin’. I just kept saying, ‘I’m going to f*** you up’ – that’s all I kept saying. In my head that’s my belt, I need to get that back. I never lost my title in the ring, I haven’t had a chance to defend it. I’m going into this fight as a challenger, but in my head I’m a world champion and I have the confidence of a world champion.”
“Shavkat Rakhimov – he’s tough, he’s strong, he’s fit and he can punch hard. I always say, you have to have a little bit more than just that to beat me. I’m a little bit better than him in all the boxes. I believe I’ve got a very good boxing brain. My ring IQ is second to none. My footwork is a different level. I’m good on the inside, I can fight up close. I can fight going backwards. I can pretty much do it all.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect in any way, shape or form and I’m not the finished article, but he has to have a little bit more than just being tough and strong and being able to punch to beat me. He isn’t really brining anything that I’ve never seen before. There’s not a man on the planet that I fear. I’ll find a way to put you on the deck.”
In Australia, Rakhimov vs Cordina airs live on Fox Sports 506 on Sunday, April 23.
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