‘It Was a Nightmare’: Joe Cordina Talks Fight Cancellations and O’Shaquie Foster

Joe Cordina was last seen when he defeated Edward Vasquez, retaining his IBF super-featherweight title in a close-fought battle at the Casino de Monte Carlo Salle Medecin in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Since that win, Big Fight Weekend looked at possible next opponents for Cordina, with the Welshman speaking to BBC Radio Wales Sport and expressing his feelings about trying to obtain a unification fight and his postponed bout against Anthony Cacace on the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk undercard, due to the eye injury sustained by “The Gypsy King.“

Joe Cordina Talks Anthony Cacace and O’Shaquie Foster

Cordina Discusses Future Plans

In an interview with BBC Radio Wales Sport, Cordina has revealed his next fight against Anthony Cacace will be his last at super-featherweight if he is unable to secure a unification fight. The Welshman’s next fight will be on the Usyk vs. Fury undercard on May 18. 

Cordina, 32, spoke to BBC about his disappointment regarding the postponement of the “Ring of Fire,” and how he’s had to refocus: “It’s tough when a fight falls through… It was a nightmare. “I am plodding along… Obviously, I am disappointed my fight in Saudi was called off due to Tyson Fury’s injury,” he added. “I am trying to keep busy and keep my mind occupied and stop myself from veering off and eating rubbish.”

“It’s a bit of a kick in the shins. Now I have to do a horrible camp again. I’ve already done a camp!”

“This was a good one, the best sparring and now we have to reset and go again.”

The Cardiff native won the IBF strap for a second time, with the entertaining split decision win over Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov. The decorated amateur from Wales is unbeaten as a professional and has recently spoken about his desire for bigger fights and a possible move to lightweight. 

Anthony Cacace and O’Shaquie Foster

Speaking about his upcoming fight against 35-year-old Cacace, he said: “Anthony Cacace is a bit of a frustrating fight for me, even though I am getting paid very well. “Cacace is a good fight – but it’s not the fight people probably wanted or expected. But I am grateful to be in a position where I’ll be on a massive show, one of the biggest in history.” 

He added: “I was chasing the other title holders but it hasn’t happened yet. The thing is for me, if I can’t get a unification fight in my next fight, I will look to go up a weight.”

O’Shaquie Foster, who edged out Abraham Nova to retain the WBC super-featherweight title has been linked with a fight with Cordina. Despite the rumours, the Welshman has poured cold water over the prospect of the two fighting: “O’Shaquie Foster keeps calling me out but the mad thing is, it was in his hands. “I talked to my promoter Eddie [Hearn] and he told me that when they did make an offer to him to fight me, he was asking for silly, silly money.”

Cordina added: “He’s irrelevant but he’s got a belt. “It seems like it will be too hard work to deal with him… There are other champions out there.”