IBF junior lightweight titlist Shavkatdzhon «Cotto» Rakhimov (17-0-1, 14 KOs) meets Joe Cordina (15-0, 9 KOs) for IBF title in a 12-round super featherweight bout at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, United Kingdom.
The 31-year-old Cardiff native Cordina has the advantage over Rakhimov, who lives in Los Angeles, but it remains to be seen whether this is enough to propel Cordina to victory. With his knockout win over Kenichi Ogawa in the second round in June 2022 in Cardiff, Cordina demonstrated his ability to dish it out and win the IBF super featherweight championship. That is the lone world-class opponent on Cordina's resume, though.
Rakhimov, a southpaw, is a strong puncher who is used to fighting on the road. In November 2022 in Abu Dhabi, he knocked out British boxer Zelfa Barrett in the ninth round to claim the vacant IBF super featherweight title. After being knocked down by Barrett in the third round, Rakhimov stormed back, beating him with devastating left punches and knocking him out twice in the ninth round.
“April 22, Cardiff, I cannot wait,” said Eddie Hearn when answering the question about the Rakhimov vs. Cordina fight. “This time, it’s going to be banged out so quickly because this time, it’s going to be a massive night for Welsh boxing, a massive night for British boxing, and a massive night for Joe Cordina.”
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In the undercard for the Rakhimov vs Cordina showdown, Manchester’s fierce former title contender, Zelfa “Brown Flash” Barrett (28-2, 16 KOs), faces off against Albuquerque’s tenacious American challenger, Jason Sanchez (16-3, 9 KOs), in a high-stakes ten-round clash for the vacant WBA Continental super featherweight title. Moreover, the undefeated Manchester-born, London-based sensation Jordan “Troublesome” Thompson (14-0, 11 KOs) puts his IBF European cruiserweight crown on the line in a gripping ten-round duel against Swindon's hard-hitting Luke “The Duke” Watkins (16-2, 11 KOs). Expect fireworks as these elite boxers vie for victory and glory!
Main card:
▪️Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov vs. Joe Cordina, 12 rounds, for Rakhimov’s IBF junior lightweight title ▪️Sandy Ryan vs. Marie-Pier Houle, 10 rounds, for the vacant WBO welterweight title ▪️Zelfa Barrett vs. Jason Sanchez, 10 rounds, for vacant WBA Continental super featherweight title ▪️Gavin Gwynne vs. Craig Woodruff, 12 rounds, for Gwynne British lightweight title ▪️Jordan Thompson vs. Luke Watkins, 10 rounds, for Thompson’s IBF European cruiserweight title
Before the bell:
▪️Skye Nicolson vs. Linda Laura Lecca, 8 rounds, featherweight ▪️Brandon Scott vs. Reynaldo Cajina, 4 rounds, super bantamweight ▪️Nathan Howells vs. Jahfieus Faure, 6 rounds, super featherweight ▪️Sammy Lee vs. Juris Zundovskis, 6 rounds, light heavyweight ▪️Miles Gordon Darby vs. Phil Williams, 4 rounds, heavyweight
