Shakur Stevenson vs. Joe Cordina | PPV - 12 October 2024

[Ruthless-RKO]

Joe Cordina is in talks to fight Shakur Stevenson.

That is according to Eddie Hearn. Cordina is coming off the first loss of his career, losing his IBF Super Featherweight Belt against Anthony Cacace. The Welshman was stopped in the eighth round. Moving up to face Shakur at 135 will not be easy. Stevenson is an undefeated three-weight world champion. He is a highly skilled defensive boxer known for destroying his opponents’ best weapons.

Stevenson’s last few performances, however, have not gone down well. He was jeered during his wins over Edwin De Los Santos and Artem Harutyunyan. Shakur’s defensive style did not resonate with fans. However, after leaving Top Rank, Shakur can explore other options now that he is a free agent. He has been linked with a deal with Matchroom Boxing.

Stevenson Vs. Cordina
A Cordina fight offers Shakur the chance to debut in England and expand his profile. The WBC had ordered William Zepeda to fight Shakur next. There are reports that the Saudis want that fight on a Terence Crawford vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr. card. It is believed that such a card would take place in February next year. That gives Shakur plenty of time to take a fight in between and remain active. Hearn confirmed that discussions were underway.

“I’ve spoken to Joe [Cordina] about fighting Shakur Stevenson. Joe is up for it, but he also understands the challenge. Ideally, moving up a weight division, you’d probably want an easier fight than Shakur Stevenson, but Joe is at the age where he wants to be involved in the biggest fights in the sport. If he feels the opportunity is right, I’m sure he’ll take it. But nothing close yet. Discussions,” Hearn said

It is vital that Shakur puts on a good performance in his next fight to increase his star power. That has hindered him in getting the biggest fights. There is a perception that Shakur offers high-risk, with very little reward. A win against Shakur does not guarantee a big payday since he struggles to sell. Fights with Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney have been mentioned, but so far, nothing has gotten over the line.

[Coco]

Nothing to lose, decent money, not getting any younger, sink or swim time

A good showing in defeat will keep him in the mix.

[margaret thatcher]

cordina coming off a ko beatdown loss, steps up in weight to face an even better fighter, who is usually boring as hell? pass

[Boxerbeetle]

Joe needs to get back on the eggs for this one.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Joe Cordina on course for Shakur Stevenson after split from Tony Sims

Joe Cordina will prepare for his next opponent with a new trainer after parting with Tony Sims.

Discussions are unfolding for a potential fight between the Welshman and Shakur Stevenson on the undercard of the undisputed light-heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol on October 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

It was in Riyadh in May where the 32-year-old Cordina lost for the first time, when as the IBF super-featherweight champion he was stopped by Anthony Cacace.

He has long spoken of his desire to move up to 135lbs, and also to fight Stevenson, 27. Whether Stevenson-Cordina happens next may yet be determined by the outcome of purse bids ordered for a fight between the WBC lightweight champion and William Zepeda, but Sims, who has worked with Cordina for the past seven years and who remains on good terms with his former fighter, will not be in his corner.

Cordina is expected to announce his new trainer soon, and, regardless of the existing trend among many of his contemporaries who seek to work with American trainers, to recruit another based in Britain.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[margaret thatcher]

nice, although dont like seeing eubank knockovers making their way onto these saudi cards. there's no planet in which that is a remotely good fight. still packed overall, but that fight + women bit of divergence from the past fantasy cards

[Ruthless-RKO]

Stevenson signs deal with Matchroom

“I am ready to start this next chapter of my career and it begins on October 12 with Joe Cordina on the stacked Riyadh Season card in Saudi Arabia,” said Stevenson.

“I've made it clear that I want the biggest names and the biggest fights in the sport. Bring on [WBC lightweight mandatory challenger] William Zepeda at the top of 2025 and I'm ready for anyone who is brave enough to step in the ring with me. There have been few willing to take on that challenge in recent years.

“With Matchroom and Riyadh Season, I am teaming up with a promotional force that matches my world-class talent. We will be unstoppable in and out of the ring, and I will continue to show my dominance for many years to come in the sport of boxing.”

[Coco]

nice, although dont like seeing eubank knockovers making their way onto these saudi cards. there's no planet in which that is a remotely good fight. still packed overall, but that fight + women bit of divergence from the past fantasy cards

Seems solid on paper, international amateur, ex euro champ, only losses v GGG and Mungulia.

However no worthy wins in the last three years, includes two non descriptt draws at home

[Boxing Prospect]

A champion facing a challenger coming up in weight who was stopped in his last fight... Eurgh.

[margaret thatcher]

nice, although dont like seeing eubank knockovers making their way onto these saudi cards. there's no planet in which that is a remotely good fight. still packed overall, but that fight + women bit of divergence from the past fantasy cards

Seems solid on paper, international amateur, ex euro champ, only losses v GGG and Mungulia.

However no worthy wins in the last three years, includes two non descriptt draws at home

last fight he couldnt beat the #122 in the world, mediocre fight that no one wanted. turki was supposed to be better than this

stevenson is quality but this matchup is poor too - corinda badly beaten last time out, at a lower weight, by a worse opponent.

beter-bivol , wardly-frazier are quality at least

[Ruthless-RKO]

Love how everyone’s going against Turki now.

There’s always gonna be fights we don’t like.

[margaret thatcher]

sharing turki? like a gang bang or something?

[Ruthless-RKO]

sharing turki? like a gang bang or something?

damn auto-correct

[Ruthless-RKO]

Cordina will now be training at the Ben Davison Performance Centre with Barry Smith and Ben Davison.

“To be honest, for me it was just a change up,” said Cordina of making the move. “And it’s not just with Ben, it’s with Barry. Barry’s a bit more hands on and on the pads and Ben mainly oversees, but it’s a good environment to be around but I think it was totally for a freshen up and something new.”

“I was going until the wheels fell off, basically, and in a sense of don’t try and fix something if it’s not broken, so when I lost, it was a case of assessing certain things and seeing what can I add to my game, and I think they can,” said Cordina. “With [with] Barry Smith and Ben Davison.”

[stujones]

Boxing is pretty ruthless and Eddie seems to have thrown Cordina a bit under the bus, but hope he gets a good pay day from it.

Still think he should have ended up a bit of a national (not global) star. We don’t get many Olympians and two time world champions in Wales…and he’s good looking and seemingly a good talker too. Yet I think he could walk around in Wales pretty unnoticed.

[Bigdogsnose]

Boxing is pretty ruthless and Eddie seems to have thrown Cordina a bit under the bus, but hope he gets a good pay day from it.

Still think he should have ended up a bit of a national (not global) star. We don’t get many Olympians and two time world champions in Wales…and he’s good looking and seemingly a good talker too. Yet I think he could walk around in Wales pretty unnoticed.

Hes very articulate, but i wouldnt say he's a great talker. He's very pragmatic and quite often bemoans the fact he isnt filling cardiff, getting the bigger paychecks.

Shak wouldnt be the natural comeback fight coming off a ko from cacace, just think cordinas stuck his hand in the air at short notice to get the big fight and money he's always wanted. Theres no queue to fight Stevenson.

[mickey1975]

Boxing is pretty ruthless and Eddie seems to have thrown Cordina a bit under the bus, but hope he gets a good pay day from it.

Still think he should have ended up a bit of a national (not global) star. We don’t get many Olympians and two time world champions in Wales…and he’s good looking and seemingly a good talker too. Yet I think he could walk around in Wales pretty unnoticed.

It's the DAZN effect. People simply don't have it.

[Boxerbeetle]

In fairness Cordina's last few fights at the Cardiff Arena sold well and quickly, I was surprised tbh. Miles away from being a household name of course, which is definitely not helped by being on DAZN. I wish they'd publish the number of regular subscribers they have, I bet it's really really low.

[stujones]

Boxing is pretty ruthless and Eddie seems to have thrown Cordina a bit under the bus, but hope he gets a good pay day from it.

Still think he should have ended up a bit of a national (not global) star. We don’t get many Olympians and two time world champions in Wales…and he’s good looking and seemingly a good talker too. Yet I think he could walk around in Wales pretty unnoticed.

Hes very articulate, but i wouldnt say he's a great talker. He's very pragmatic and quite often bemoans the fact he isnt filling cardiff, getting the bigger paychecks.

Shak wouldnt be the natural comeback fight coming off a ko from cacace, just think cordinas stuck his hand in the air at short notice to get the big fight and money he's always wanted. Theres no queue to fight Stevenson.

Cordinas been thrown under the bus a bit. Eddies basically given a fighter he's championed as future “great” absolutely no chance at all… already talking next fight etc.

[mickey1975]

Joe did always come across as a bit of a moaner. He never shut up about the Rolex he'd apparently been promises for winning the title and never got. Then it was the stadium stuff. At the weigh in in Saudi he was the only one not stopping for photo's with fans afterwards. I know he was tight at the weight but this was twelve hours later at the ceremonial weigh in. Now he swears blind he was cruising that fight until he was hit on the break. He wasn't.

[Coco]

Joe did always come across as a bit of a moaner. He never shut up about the Rolex he'd apparently been promises for winning the title and never got. Then it was the stadium stuff. At the weigh in in Saudi he was the only one not stopping for photo's with fans afterwards. I know he was tight at the weight but this was twelve hours later at the ceremonial weigh in. Now he swears blind he was cruising that fight until he was hit on the break. He wasn't.

Wasn't Okalie promised a Rolex too?

[tonyevs]

This card is a definite drop in quality from what we expected from a guy who just wanted to make good fights.

Beterbiev vs Bivol is excellent.
Then it's a fight, that whilst expected to be entertaining, is between two guys not expected to go very far .. certainly nowhere near world title level.

The rest is typical safe fights keeping a name boxer busy.

[mickey1975]

Joe did always come across as a bit of a moaner. He never shut up about the Rolex he'd apparently been promises for winning the title and never got. Then it was the stadium stuff. At the weigh in in Saudi he was the only one not stopping for photo's with fans afterwards. I know he was tight at the weight but this was twelve hours later at the ceremonial weigh in. Now he swears blind he was cruising that fight until he was hit on the break. He wasn't.

Wasn't Okalie promised a Rolex too?

I think he got his.

[TheLeprechaun]

Joe did always come across as a bit of a moaner. He never shut up about the Rolex he'd apparently been promises for winning the title and never got. Then it was the stadium stuff. At the weigh in in Saudi he was the only one not stopping for photo's with fans afterwards. I know he was tight at the weight but this was twelve hours later at the ceremonial weigh in. Now he swears blind he was cruising that fight until he was hit on the break. He wasn't.

100% agree. He's cringe and grating but you lap it up when Fury talks b*llocks.