Former two-time super-featherweight champion may challenge for lightweight honours next.
A former 2016 Summer Olympian, Joe Cordina became the IBF super-featherweight champion when he knocked out Kenichi Ogawa in 2022.
Before he could make the first defence of his title against Shavkat Rakhimov, Cordina was stripped of it after pulling out of the scheduled defence with a hand injury.
As a result, Rakhimov boxed Zelfa Barrett for the vacant title, overcoming a knockdown to stop his Manchester rival and become the first world champion from his country of Tajikistan.
This set up a rescheduled clash between Cordina and Rakhimov for the belt, a thrilling contest that saw Cordina become a two-time world champion.
Later that year, Cordina would make his first defence, retaining his title in a close decision over Edward Vazquez.
He then took on IBO champion Anthony Cacace, being battered into his first defeat and losing his world title on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk 1.
Cordina would be absent from the ring for over a year, returning in July of 2025 in his debut at lightweight. He defeated Jaret González Quiroz over ten rounds to win the WBO global title.
Five months later, Cordina travelled to America and beat Gabriel Flores Jr., picking up the WBO international title in the process.
Cordina (19-1, 9 KOs) is now ranked #1 with the WBO and is expected to be taking on Abdullah Mason (20-0, 17 KOs), the full WBO world champion.
Mason won the title in a close decision over Sam Noakes in November, becoming the youngest world champion in boxing. Turning 22 just yesterday, Mason is over 12 years younger than the 34-year-old Cordina.
The bout between Cordina and Mason is likely to land on a DAZN card in June, with Mason’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, the most realistic location.
Abdullah Mason will defend his WBO lightweight title vs. former titleholder Joe Cordina in June on DAZN, sources tell @ringmagazine.
Mason won the title in November in a thrilling victory over Sam Noakes. This first defense will likely take place in his hometown of Cleveland, as… pic.twitter.com/5gKGm4SUGv
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) April 6, 2026
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