Joe Cordina explains that he made the decision to leave Tony Sims and start fresh with Ben Davison after experiencing a setback in his last fight.
In May, Cordina lost his world title unexpectedly to underdog Anto Cacace in Riyadh. This loss prompted him to part ways with Sims, who had been training him since he turned professional in 2017.
Cordina emphasizes that the split with Sims was amicable. Sims had guided him to two world titles in the super-featherweight division.
During an exclusive interview with Boxing News, Cordina shared, “I was with him since the start of my career, so almost eight years. It was like why fix something if it’s not broken? I was going until the wheels fell off and they fell off. Then you start assessing things. I just think at this stage in my career I just need to try something new, I need a freshen up. That’s all it is – a freshen up.”
Cordina is currently gearing up to challenge Shakur Stevenson for the WBC lightweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 12. He is now training with Davison and Barry Smith in Harlow, Essex.
“They train completely different to how we train at Tony’s so it’s something new, a freshen up. I’ve been there just over a week and I believe I’m going to excel under them. I’ve learned a lot already,” Cordina added.
Eddie Hearn, Cordina’s promoter, commented on the split, saying, “Sometimes people have a change. I think Tony and Joe’s relationship has been unbelievable. They’ve achieved so much – two-time world champion – but sometimes you feel like you need something fresh. Joe doesn’t have long left in his career and he would admit that himself. He’s looking for the biggest fights and the biggest opportunities.”