By Jack Tiernan: Moments after Joe Cordina’s impressive second-round knockout win over IBF super featherweight champion Kenichi Ogawa on Saturday night, WBO champion Shakur Stevenson posted on social media that he wanted to face Joe next and is willing to come to England for the fight.
Cordina (15-0, 9 KOs) and his promoter Eddie Hearn need to think it over and decide whether they want to accept the challenge from the unbeaten Shakur (18-0, 9 KOs) because that’s going to be a lot tougher fight than what they had against the 34-year-old Ogawa (26-2-1, 18 KOs).
Heading into tonight’s fight, it was believed that if there were going to be a knockout, it would be from the heavy-handed Ogawa, not Cordina.
But the Japanese power puncher left himself open for a lead right hand from Cordina in the second round, and he was dropped hard on his back. There was no chance that Ogawa would be able to get up from that punch to continue fighting.
“In terms of explosive finishes and draw, that was right up there,” said Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing, reacting to Joe Cordina’s second-round knockout win over Ogawa on Saturday night.
“I rate Shakur Stevenson as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but when you produce performances like that when you win a world title like that, you have to talk about those fights.
“I don’t see anybody in the division that I give a better chance against Shakur Stevenson than Joe Cordina, who can beat Shakur Stevenson. He’s a fantastic fighter.
“We’ve got Shavkat Rakhimov as a mandatory that we’ve got to take care of, and you’ve got Zelfa Barrett as a big domestic fight as well. But ultimately, Joe’s aim now is to unify and become undisputed.
“Whether that’s at Cardiff or the Millennium Stadium, I think Shakur Stevenson has already Tweeted, saying he’d be happy to come to the UK. You’re talking about Shakur Stevenson, a pound-for-pound great fighter, but you’re also talking about Joe Cordina, one of the top world champions now in boxing. What a massive night for him.
“As I said, you can win a world title, or you can just explode on the world scene like that, and that’s what Joe did tonight. I can’t wait for the future.
“That was in terms of explosive moments that will go viral, moments that will set you up as a superstar of the sport, that was right up there,” Hearn continued in raving about Cordina’s devasting knockout of IBF super featherweight champion Ogawa.
“You can sometimes fiddle your way to a world title or squeeze your way to a world title, or you can go out and announce yourself to the world as a massive in the division and in boxing. That’s what Joe Cordina did tonight.
“I called it in the media. In the last 48 hours, I started thinking about the fight, and I just fancied Joe to win by knockout because I think he’s got sneaky power.
“He’s a very sharp puncher, and he’s a very clever puncher. Ogawa likes to lunge in and be aggressive. What you saw tonight was timing from Joe Cordina, who I saw box ten years ago in York Hall.
“I said, ‘This kids special.’ But sometimes, you never get the opportunity to do that. I want to thank DAZN, quite frankly, for putting up the money to bring Kenichi Ogawa to Cardiff so that Joe Cordina could get his dream shot.
“It’s changed his life tonight. As a young fighter that we took on from the GB squad, it’s always extra special, and I’m very happy for Tony Sims, who put so punch into Joe Cordina. He’s sacrificed a lot.
“Coming up every camp from Cardiff, missing his family up to Brentwood. He’s done that his whole career and tonight makes it all worth it, makes it all worthwhile. I’m really pleased for him and Tony and Charlo because they really deserve it,” said Hearn.