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Cordina: "I'll Find A Way To Put You On The Deck"
Joe Cordina is promising to take out his frustration on IBF
Super-Featherweight World Champion Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov
when the rivals collide at the Cardiff International Arena
this Saturday April 22, live worldwide on DAZN (excluding
Australia and New Zealand).
The Welshman (15-0, 9 KOs) achieved a life-long dream as he
clinched the IBF Super-Featherweight World Title on a
memorable evening in his home city of Cardiff last June,
flattening Japan's Kenichi Ogawa with the knockout of his
life in the second round.
“It was a shot that me and Tony worked on for hours and
hours in the gym," recalled Cordina. "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."
That elation was soon replaced by devastation. Cordina was
scheduled to make the first defence of his World Title
against Rakhimov in Abu Dhabi last November but suffered a
hand injury that required surgery, and he was subsequently
stripped of his title by the IBF.
“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’," remembered Cordina. "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’.
'The Welsh Wizard' was ringside at the Etihad Arena in Abu
Dhabi for Rakhimov's ninth-round stoppage win over
Manchester's Zelfa Barrett which claimed the Tajikistan
fighter the vacant IBF crown. It was a tough watch for
Cordina, but the 31-year-old now has the opportunity to put
things right and regain the title that he never lost in the
ring.
“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."
Freddie Roach-trained Rakhimov (17-0-1, 14 KOs) looked
impressive as he came from behind to wear down and stop
Barrett, but former Team GB star Cordina insists that he is
prepared for anything this weekend and won't be denied the
chance to create history by becoming a two-time Champion of
the World.
“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."
Rakhimov vs. Cordina headlines a huge night of boxing in
Cardiff; Welsh rivals Gavin Gwynne (15-2-1, 3 KOs) and Craig
Woodruff (12-6-1, 4 KOs) rematch for the British Lightweight
Title following their thrilling draw at the Bolton Whites
Hotel last September, Manchester Cruiserweight Jordan
Thompson (14-0, 11 KOs) puts his IBF European Title on the
line against Swindon’s Luke Watkins (16-2, 11 KOs), Derby's
Sandy Ryan (5-1, 2 KOs) clashes with Canada's Marie Pier
Houle (8-0-1, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBO Welterweight Title,
Manchester's former World Title challenger Zelfa Barrett
(28-2, 16 KOs) faces the USA's Jason Sanchez (16-3, 9 KOs)
for the WBA Continental Super-Featherweight Title,
Australia's Skye Nicolson (6-0) steps up against Peru's
Linda Laura Lecca (15-6-2, 3 KOs) over eight rounds at
Featherweight, Swansea Super-Bantamweight Brandon Scott
(4-0, 1 KO) takes on Reynaldo Cajina (15-79-5, 11 KOs) over
four rounds, Newport Super-Featherweight Nathan Howells
(5-0-1) meets Oldbury's Jahfieus Faure over four rounds,
Swansea Light-Heavyweight Sammy Lee (1-0) fights Latvia's
Juris Zundovskis (6-5, 5 KOs) over six rounds and Kingston
Heavyweight Miles Gordan-Darby (3-0) takes on Swindon's Phil
Williams (5-41-1, 1 KO) over four rounds.
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