Cordina released on bail after pleading not guilty.
A few years ago, Joe Cordina was considered to be amongst the very best fighters in Britain. Having knocked out Japanese puncher Kenichi Ogawa to win the IBF super-featherweight title in his back garden of Cardiff, the Welshman was stripped of his title after pulling out of a mandatory defence against Shavkat Rakhimov.
When Rakhimov won the vacant title in a stoppage of Zelfa Barrett, Cordina faced him to win back his belt. He would do so, defeating Rakhimov in a very entertaining affair.
A closer-than-expected defence over Edward Vazquez raised a few concerns, but it was when Cordina was pummelled into defeat by Anthony Cacace that things appeared to be properly plummeting.
Over a year later, Cordina would return at lightweight and defeat Jaret González Quiroz. Later that same year, he would win against Gabriel Flores Jr., a result that made him mandatory challenger for Abdullah Mason’s WBO lightweight title.
Cordina was all set to challenge for two-division championship honours this 4th of July, but was forced to pull out of the fight after his visa to enter the United States was denied.
It would come out that this related to an incident from February of this year, with Cordina being hit with an assault and deadly weapons charge for his part in alleged assault that took place outside a petrol station in Cardiff, Wales.
Because of Cordina being pulled from the fight, he was replaced by the undefeated Albert Bell, who Mason stopped to successfully defend his title.
Now, though, after pleading not guilty to his two charges, Cordina was released this Tuesday on an unconditional bail at Cardiff Magistrates Court.
The 34-year-old is set to face trial on the 13th of October.
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