Joe Cordina has his sights set on unifications fights, providing he reclaims the IBF super featherweight title from Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov on Saturday.
Cordina challenges Rakhimov for the belt he was stripped of at the Cardiff International Arena, the venue which saw him win the title with a stunning second round knockout over Kenichi Ogawa last June.
The 31-year-old hopes a victory over the Tajikistan native will set up unification clashes with WBO champion, Emanuel Navarrete, WBC titlist, O’Shaquie Foster and WBA holder, Hector Luis Garcia, who was stopped by Gervonta Davis in January.
“I’m not in boxing to keep fighting fringe world level fighters,” Cordina told proboxing-fans.com on Wednesday.
“Obviously Rakhimov is a world champion, but I don’t want to be winning this title back and then be fighting fringe world level fighters and just trying to navigate my way through.
“I don’t want to be earning decent purses, I want to be hitting them big purses and I want to unify.
”I want to get more belts and I want to put myself down in British boxing history.”
The ‘Welsh Wizard’ was controversially relieved of the belt by the IBF, after a hand injury prevented him from defending against then-mandatory challenger, Rakhimov.
Rakhimov went onto climb off the canvas before stopping Zelfa Barrett in the ninth round to secure the vacant crown in Abu Dhabi in November.
Cordina feels the 28-year-old won’t present anything he hasn’t seen before either in the professional ranks or during his stellar amateur career, which saw him compete at the 2016 Olympics.
“I’m an experienced fighter,” he said.
“I’ve been around the world. Boxed 180-odd fights in the amateurs.
“Almost 200 times all in all, so there’s not many styles that I haven’t come across.
“He’s a tricky southpaw that comes forward, but if what [trainer] Tony [Sims] tells me don’t work in the first or second round, we’ll change it up and I’ve got the ability to do so.”
Watch the full interview with Joe Cordina below:
