By Charles Brun: Joe Cordina will be making his second defense of his IBF super featherweight title this Saturday night against #9 ranked contender Edward Vazquez (15-1, 3 KOs) in the main event on DAZN at the Casino de Monte Carlo Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo.
The younger fighter, 28-year-old Vazquez, has the type of offensive skills that could be too much for the 31-year-old Cordina, as he struggles against fighters with high punch outputs.
Cordina is one of those fighters that relies on his power, so tends to load up with every bit of energy trying to score knockouts all the time. That style is hit or miss and not effective against fighters that throw 100 punches per round, as we saw in Cordina’s last fight, where he won a highly questionable decision.
It’s good that the fight will be on neutral turf rather than in Cordina’s hometown, as it would be buzzkill if Vazquez loses a controversial decision.
Cordina (16-0, 9 KOs) is coming off a narrow twelve round split decision win over Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov last April in a fight that many boxing fans believe should have & would have gone the other way if the contest hadn’t taken place in Cordina’s backyard in Cardiff, Wales.
This writer had Rakhimov winning that fight 8-4, perhaps even 9-3, as he outworked Cordina and machine-gunned him with punches the entire fight. Cordina got a flash knockdown in the second, but other than that, Rakhhimov looked like the better fighter all the way through.
Undercard
Sivenathi Nontshinga vs. Adrian Curiel
Souleymane Cissokho vs. Isaias Lucero
Julissa Alejandra Guzman vs. Ramla Ali
Cordina expects to dominate
“He has everything to gain and nothing to lose. So he’s going to come out and give it everything, but so am I,” said Joe Cordina to Matchroom Boxing about his opponent Edward Vazquez for their clash this Saturday night on DAZN in Monte Carlo.
Vazquez’s only career defeat was a ten round split decision last year against Raymond Ford. That’s a guy that Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn is high on, viewing him as a future multi-division world champion, but Vazquez fought well enough to deserve a victory against him.
That tells you two things. One, Ford isn’t as good as Hearn thinks he is, and two, Vazquez has a lot of talent, which could result in him beating Cordina on Saturday night.
“I’ll completely outbox him and make it look easy, or I’ll knock him out. I’m going to be 100% ready,” said Cordina about Vazquez. “I’m going to leave no stone unturned. Tune in because it’s going to be fireworks. I’ve done everything I possibly can in this sport from amateur to pro.”
It’s highly doubtful that Cordina will outbox a talent like Vazquez, as he’s faster, throws many more punches, and has a better ring IQ. The only chance Cordina has of winning this fight is if he catches Vazquez with a big right hand to score a knockout, as we saw in his fight with Kenichi Ogawa last year.
“To come back from an injury. I didn’t want a warm-up fight. I said, ‘Put me back straight in’ against [Shavkatdzhon] Rakhimov. He’s a killer. He was going out and smashing everyone, stopping everyone,” said Cordina about his fight with Rakhimov last April in Wales.
“He was relentless, come forward, as tough as they come. You got to be more than just tough, strong, and fit to beat me. You’ve got to have something special, and I just knew he didn’t have it,” said Cordina.
Rakhimov deserved a rematch after that fight, but Cordina wisely went in the opposite direction, choosing fringe contender Vazquez instead. I guess he was considered the safer bet than to mix it up with Rakhimov a second time, and the judges getting it right this time.
“I’m fighting in Monte Carlo. I love the place, to be honest,” said Cordina “I love the finer things in life. If I ever win the lottery, this is where I’m coming. It’s a place where I like being around because it’s motivating being around that sort of stuff.
“I’m back again on the fourth of November. There are not many people that will beat us or could beat us. It’s going to be a good shot, not just a good fight for the main event,” said Cordina about his fight against challenger Vazquez. “He’s going to come and bring it. Tune in because it’s going to be fireworks.
“I’m soaking it up. I’ve worked all my life to get to this point. I’ve been working hard, grafting, the same as I usually do, and I leave no stone unturned come November. I’m fighting someone called Edward Vazquez,” said Cordina.
“You’ve got to be special to beat me. We can all speak the words. It’s just what happens on fight night. I’m going to be 100% ready,” said Cordina.
Vazquez ready to dethrone Cordina
“If he’s overlooking me, he better wake the hell up,” said Vazquez about Cordina. “I come to fight, I come for violence. This fight is so important to me because I’ve been fighting my entire life. It’s been 21 years in the making.”
Yeah, it’s safe to say that Cordina is overlooking Vazquez, believing that the win is in the bag already. That victory over Ogawa last year seems to have gone to Cordina’s head, making him believe he’s better than he actually is. He could be brought down to earth on Saturday night when Vazquez shows him what his true level is, which contender level.
“I’ve got a whole city supporting me. It means the world, and we’re here to take it,” said Vazquez. “He’s got good power, I respect that, and I’m training with absolute respect. I know he’s got a cannon right hand, but Ogawa was there.
“It was like he was waiting for it and laid down for that shot,” said Vazquez about former IBF 130-lb champion Kenichi Ogawa making a mistake that led to Cordina knocking him out in the second round to capture his belt last year in June.”
Cordina completely relies on his power and doesn’t put much effort into boxing or throwing a lot of shots. It’s as if he thinks he can knock out everybody, which is obviously a product of being fed a lot of cans throughout his career.
Cordina has fought a lot of soft opponents that he’s been able to power out of there, so now thinks he’s a knockout artist rather than a guy with good but not great strength.
“So if you’re going to give him that shot, he’s going to take it. I’m not going to give him anything,” said Vazquez. “He’s never faced Edward Vazquez and has never faced the kid. So, no matter what any of those guys have done to him, it doesn’t really matter because I’m going to bring a whole different package.
“You keep doubting, and that’s fuel to the fire. I’m going to take your doubts and turn you into a believer. I’m preparing for the best, and you’re going to see the best kid.
“I think I’ll win by taking away Joe Cordina’s best attributes and keeping him thinking. Not letting him get comfortable with just one look. Here comes the kid. I’m 100% ready. See you fight night,” said Vazquez.
