Joe Cordina: “There’s only one big money fight at my weight, really, and that’s [Emanuel] Navarrete”

Wales’ Joe Cordina, 31, is set to defend his IBF super featherweight title against Edward Vazquez on Saturday in Monte Carlo. Cordina understands the significance of this fight and recognizes that it could define his career.

In an interview with Declan Warrington, Cordina emphasizes the importance of winning, regardless of whether there’s a title on the line or not. He mentions being tagged alongside undefeated champions like Jermall Charlo, Sunny Edwards, and Tyson Fury, and he aspires to be mentioned in the same breath as these great fighters.

Cordina discusses his preparations for the fight, with Kevin Mitchell overseeing his training while Tony Sims was in the US with Conor Benn. He praises both trainers for their knowledge and experience in the boxing world.

He mentions the fighters that Sims has asked him to watch, including Jorge Linares, Juan Manuel Marquez, Roman Gonzalez, and Alexis Arguello. Cordina appreciates learning from the techniques of these older fighters who could do it all.

Regarding his injured right hand, Cordina states that he doesn’t think about it and trusts his surgeon, Mike Hayton, who has performed successful operations on him in the past.

Cordina acknowledges that the biggest fights at super featherweight are in or near the US. He mentions the possibility of a big-money fight against Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete and expresses his desire to move up to lightweight after this fight.

He mentions wanting to test himself against the best, particularly Shakur Stevenson, whom he considers one of the best fighters on the planet. Cordina cites Joe Calzaghe as an inspiration, stating that he wants to follow in Calzaghe’s footsteps by going to America and competing against top fighters.

Cordina mentions that Stevenson has been struggling to secure high-profile opponents, but he has expressed his willingness to fight him multiple times. He also mentions being interested in sparring with rising star Frank Martin.

Cordina acknowledges that fighters may be scared to face him or Stevenson, as they don’t want to lose their undefeated records or be embarrassed. However, he believes that in the fight game, there’s always someone out there who can beat you. He’s not afraid of losing and is willing to accept defeat if it comes.

Finally, Cordina expresses his admiration for Joe Calzaghe and his desire to emulate his success in the sport. He acknowledges that filling Calzaghe’s shoes is a challenging task but is determined to come closer to achieving what Calzaghe accomplished.



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