Joe Cordina: Former super-featherweight world champion to fight Abdullah Mason for WBO lightweight title

Cordina won the British and Commonwealth titles at lightweight early in his career, was a decorated amateur boxer who fought at one Olympics and in the same Team GB program as his friend Anthony Joshua.

He became Wales’ 13th world champion boxer after turning professional in 2017 when he defeated Kenichi Ogawa to claim the IBF super-featherweight title in June 2022.

Cordina was stripped of the title when he was unable to defend it in a 90-day window after breaking a hand, but won it back in April 2023 with a hard-fought split-decision win over Shavkatjan Rakhimov.

He was a strong favorite to retain his belt in Riyadh in May 2024, but the referee stopped the fight in the eighth round of a bout dominated by Belfast’s Caques.

Cordina was scheduled to return against Shakur Stevenson in October 2024, but the WBC lightweight champion withdrew due to a hand injury.

Returning from a 14-month layoff in July 2025, he defeated Gonzalez Queiroz by a hard-fought points decision at the AO Arena in Manchester, needing to dig deep against the quick-handed and spirited Mexican.

Bill Flores Jr. gave Cordina a scare as the final eliminator for the WBO lightweight world title.

The Welshman was docked a point in the sixth round in Stockton for rabbit punching and saw his knee buckled by an uppercut in round seven.

However, Cordina won his first fight in America 117-110 115-112 114-113, establishing himself as Mason’s number one contender.