BN Report: Joe Cordina oozes quality in Cardiff

IN FRONT of a delirious crowd at a sold-out Cardiff International Arena, native hero Joe Cordina regained the IBF super-feather title he by no means misplaced in the ring, however solely because of a knockdown in the second spherical.

The further level tipped the size on the 114-113 card of choose Phil Edwards, that means he and Pole Pawel Kardyni, who had 115-112, outvoted Florida’s Alex Levin, who favoured defending champion Shavkat Rakhimov by a surprisingly broad 116-111.

Presumably American fondness for the person coming forwards influenced that margin and for a lot of an exhilarating contest scoring was a matter of whether or not you most popular the amount of punches hurled by the southpaw from Tajikistan or the quality of the less blows thrown by Cordina.

Joe, six years to the day from his professional debut, entered to Dafydd Iwan’s Yma o Hyd (“We’re still here”), the refrain sung with gusto by his followers, who have been in equally good voice for the official Welsh nationwide anthem. Shavkat responded by belting out the Tajik counterpart to counsel he was not fazed by the partisan ambiance.

Cordina, again in the corridor the place his spectacular knockout of Japanese Kenichi Ogawa final June first received him this crown, was beneath further stress, promoter Eddie Hearn having careworn that defeat would see Matchroom flip their again on Wales for the foreseeable future. Success, however, promised common big-time motion, together with potential unification showdowns on the dwelling of Joe’s beloved Cardiff City, although first up may effectively be a defence in opposition to Zelfa Barrett, a winner earlier in the night.

The opening exchanges advised that the 31-year-old would address the burden. Constantly transferring, he landed a strong left to the physique together with a sequence of uppercuts as Rakhimov moved in behind a excessive guard. Referee Steve Gray rebuked the champion to be used of the pinnacle earlier than the place exploded when Cordina dropped ‘Shere Khan’ halfway by means of the second.

Unlike the proper hand which demolished Ogawa in the identical stanza – and was later fractured in sparring, inflicting the inactivity which led to the IBF stripping the Welshman – it was a pointy left which despatched the holder to the deck. He rose and fought again, however that second was to show decisive.

Rakhimov did higher in the third, though Cordina landed the cleaner pictures, culminating in one other left on the bell. The Central Asian – although primarily based in Los Angeles, the place he trains with the famend Freddie Roach – always marched ahead, however Joe’s self-belief was demonstrated in the fourth when he drew Shavkat right into a nook, waited for him to throw the proper and despatched a superbly timed left counter arrowing into the customer’s jaw.

The Tajik’s constant stress started to have an impact in the fifth, when it began to knock the Cardiffian out of his rhythm, and the sixth additionally went his approach with Joe compelled to carry to achieve some respite. However, Cordina’s personal work was mirrored in a swelling beneath Shavkat’s left eye and a lower above it, attributable to a proper hook.

Rakhimov, undeterred, stored forcing the tempo, Joe confining himself to fewer, however extra correct blows from distance. They weren’t, although, sufficient to ensure him the judges’ approval.

It was considerably stunning that Shavkat didn’t come out hell-for-leather in the final, as a substitute standing off and permitting the native, urged on by deafening assist, to barter the final three minutes and indulge in just a little showboating on the finish. When the Tajik’s nook introduced a stool into the ring for his or her man to get better, it was clear that he had merely been too exhausted to launch the ultimate onslaught which may have stored his crown.

Nabchester’s Barrett staked his declare to be Cordina’s subsequent challenger with a large, however under no circumstances simple, unanimous determination over Jason Sanchez, from Albuquerque, who battled gamely all through. Indeed, the American, who stepped in when authentic foe Alex Dilmaghani withdrew by means of damage, was the early aggressor whereas ‘Brown Flash’ sussed out his stand-in opponent.

Barrett, in his first motion since shedding to Rakhimov in Abu Dhabi after changing the dethroned Cordina, was focussing on single punches thrown with malice, somewhat than his common reliance on pure ability.

The import from New Mexico, clearly possessed of a sturdy chin, appeared unflustered till the fifth noticed him dropped by a proper to the temple. He rose instantly, however thought higher of it and took a knee for an additional 5 seconds earlier than managing to outlive the session, hanging on as Zelfa missed with tried finishers. The former European king was by no means capable of make a dent in Sanchez thereafter, though his intelligent boxing on the retreat pissed off Jason’s efforts.

Referee Howard Foster clearly thought the bout, which had the WBA Continental trinket on the road, was a 10-rounder, going to the away nook after 9 to remind Jason to the touch gloves on resumption. The Americans demurred and a hurried examine with ringside officers noticed Mr Foster acknowledge his error.

Perhaps the Statesiders would have most popular the shorter distance as their tiring cost was unable to change the sample. The margins – 116-111 for Mr Kardyni, 118-110 for Spain’s Salvador Salva and a harsh 119-108 from Mr Edwards – didn’t really replicate Sanchez’s contribution.

Sandy Ryan received the vacant WBO welter belt with a cushty 10-twos victory over French-Canadian Marie Pier Houle, whose unbeaten report had come in opposition to lesser foes.

Houle, an ever-smiling presence throughout battle week, tried to garner some dwelling assist by climbing by means of the ropes draped in a Welsh flag, however lacked the wherewithal to make a severe contest of what adopted. Although Sandy, from Derby, was transferring up from 140lbs, she regarded the larger woman – and was definitely the stronger.

The Quebecoise got here out quick, however quickly discovered herself on the receiving finish. Her braveness and sturdiness noticed her by means of, however margins of 97-93 (Italian Marco Moscadelli), 98-92 (Mr Foster) and 99-91 (Frenchman Christophe Beaurain) informed the story.

Last September in Bolton, Welsh duo Gavin Gwynne and Craig Woodruff produced a fight-of-the-year contender earlier than Gwynne retained his British light-weight title by way of a majority draw. The rematch in their homeland by no means lived as much as expectation.

Woodruff, from Newport, started as anticipated, dancing across the ring, flicking out his jab and irritating the holder’s makes an attempt to have interaction. But it didn’t final. The second and third noticed ‘Smiler’, incomprehensibly, ready by the ropes and glad to commerce, a course which performed proper into Gavin’s palms.

Gwynne, from Treharris, by no means stops working and with Woodruff opting to disregard the mobility that’s his principal asset, issues turned one-sided. The ‘Merthyr Mexican’ lacks energy – he had solely three earlier stoppages to his identify – however Compubox calculated that he landed 52 punches in the fourth alone. Referee Michael Alexander couldn’t enable the challenger to maintain taking them, calling a halt at 2-02 of the fifth.

The Woodruff workforce have been baffled by the result after a camp which included a spell in Gibraltar and no issues making weight. But when Craig wanted to name on his sources, there was nothing there. Messrs Gray, McDonnell and Reece Carter have been the superfluous judges.

There was additionally an early ending to the cruiser collision between Jordan Thompson and former Commonwealth ruler Luke Watkins, however this was way more aggressive. Manchester large Thompson – 5 inches taller than Swindon’s Watkins, himself 6ft 1in – may be considerably ponderous and as soon as ‘The Duke’ realised this he had a level of pleasure with sensible mixtures.

Jordan, with 11 fast wins in his 14 fights hitherto, all the time carries a risk, however Luke’s in-and-out adventures have been nicking rounds till the sixth. A vicious left to the ribs compelled Watkins to take a knee; when Thompson, now guided by Tony Sims, raised the tempo a thumping proper dropped the Wiltshire fighter beneath the ropes, referee Foster leaping to cradle his battered physique and wave it off on the 2-17 mark. The playing cards of Messrs Levin, Kardyni and Edwards have been left unfilled. The IBF European gong was on the road.

There have been pretty facile victories for 2 gold medallists from the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Skye Nicolson, in whose Queensland again yard the occasion was held, strolled to an 80-72 whitewash from third man Chris Jones in opposition to Peruvian Linda Lecca, who was by no means capable of get untracked. The standing of the ‘Inca Princess’ as a former WBA super-fly belt-holder merely underlines how shallow the feminine pool stays past the large names.

Linda had no thought the right way to lower the hole between her and the taller Aussie and duly went all the way down to as broad a defeat as that handed out by Raven Chapman in Telford final month. Southpaw Skye’s incapability to capitalise totally reveals that she nonetheless wants extra seasoning if she is to fulfil her potential.

The different Gold Coast podium-topper, Swansea’s Sammy Lee, who ballooned in weight throughout two years away from the fitness center, is aiming on the light-heavy class in which he struck gold. But he was nonetheless over the cruiser restrict when he took on the a lot lighter Latvian, Juris Zundevskis, in a scheduled six and after a lopsided opening around the customer pulled out, claiming an iffy left shoulder. Mr Jones accepted the retirement.

Lee’s fellow townsman, Brandon Scott, stole the present in the previous days, his different outfits and cheeky feedback incomes a number of latest followers on social media. Promoter Hearn was one who succumbed to the allure offensive and could have been relieved to see together with his personal eyes that the 19-year-old featherweight can field a bit too.

Once the ring-entering somersault was accomplished, it was all enterprise for the previous GB Junior champion, ‘Boom Boom’ dominating his four-threes in opposition to Nicaraguan veteran Reynaldo Cajina – in his one hundred and first bout, not the a centesimal as introduced, a No Contest having been missed – with a 40-36 reward from Mr Carter.

Afterwards, he apologised for the shortage of a stoppage, citing a hand damage throughout his preparation. No matter, the Matchroom boss has been received over. We will see extra of this younger entertainer.

There have been additionally two four-round wins for Newport-based operators. Super-feather Nathan Howells labored behind the jab to safe a 40-36 margin (Mr Carter) over orange-haired Midlander Jahfieus Faure. The Oldbury synthetic issues messy on events, however Howells can now stay up for a return in June in opposition to Jose Manuel Perez, the Costa Rican who held him to a draw two months in the past.

Transplanted Londoner Miles Gordon-Darby, like Nathan a member of the Tony Borg secure, regarded tentative in the show-opener in opposition to Swindon trier Phil Williams, however usually did sufficient to earn Mr Jones’s approval by 39-37.

THE VERDICT It was a bit too shut for consolation, however now Cordina – and the Welsh followers – can dream of extra nights like this.