- Cordina set for IBF super-featherweight defence in Monaco
- Welshman keen on unification bout should he beat Vasquez
- Nontshinga also on card in Monte Carlo
Joe Cordina is gearing up to defend his IBF super-featherweight world title against American contender Edward Vazquez. The bout is scheduled to take place in Monte Carlo on Saturday, 4 November.
Undefeated Welshman reclaimed title in April
Cordina, 31, reclaimed the title in a hard-fought split-decision victory over Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in April 2023. This victory marked a triumphant return for Cordina, who had been stripped of the title in 2022 due to a hand injury.
Cordina while recognising the scale of the task expressed confidence in himself to get the job done. The Welshman also emphasised that this fight is pivotal in securing a bright future for his children. He stated: “I’m expecting it to be a tough fight, but if I can’t beat Edward Vazquez, I don’t deserve to be world champion,”
“I’m looking to do a job. He’s standing in the way of me giving my kids a very bright future, so that’s my motivation.
“I haven’t been able to set my family up for life yet, but I plan on doing that.
“To beat me you have to have something special.”
Cordina, whose record stands at an impressive 16-0 with 9 knockouts, is eyeing a divisional unification fight. He expressed keen interest in a potential bout at Cardiff City Stadium, the home ground of his beloved football team.
“If I fight early next year, we could do it in the summer. I’m sure we could work something out,” Cordina remarked when asked about the possibility.
The super-featherweight division boasts other world champions including WBO title holder Emanuel Navarrete, WBA champion Hector Luis Garcia, and WBC belt holder O’Shaquie Foster.
A successful defence against the 27-year-old Vazquez (15-1, 3 KOs), who is stepping into his first world title shot, could open doors for a domestic showdown against the winner of the Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington clash for the WBA featherweight world title at Sheffield’s Utility Arena on 7 October.
Reflecting on his return to Monaco, Cordina shared his excitement, saying: “I’m excited to be fighting at the Casino de Monte-Carlo for a second time,”
“I have happy memories of fighting in Monte Carlo, landing the WBA continental title in my first outing down at super-featherweight, and I’m looking to put on another explosive performance on November 4th as I continue to work towards unifying the division.”
Boxing enthusiasts can anticipate an electrifying showdown in Monte Carlo this November.
Also featuring on the Monaco card is Sive Nontshinga, who is set to defend his IBF light flyweight crown against Adrian Curiel Dominguez.
Betting Implications
Cordina goes into the bout as slight favourite. He is undefeated in 16 bouts, while Vasquez has only one defeat from 15. Cordina, at 175cm is the taller of the two by 5 cms. Besides being the taller fighter, Cordina also has reach advantage of 5 cms over Vazquez.
Punters looking to bet on the fight need to study the past performances of both men and need to look at methods of victory, and study the rounds where knockdowns took place. They need to analyse each fighter’s strengths and weaknesses before making a decision on who to back and, if they want to add more variables, method of victory. Check out the UK’s best boxing betting websites.
