Fight night
EYES OF THE BOXING WORLD ON CARDIFF AS JOSHUA AND TAKAM GO HEAD-TO-HEAD
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IT wasn’t always about boxing for talented sportsman Joe Cordina. Tonight will not be the first time he’s stepped out at the Principality Stadium.
In fact, when the lightweight takes to the ring on the Anthony Joshua v Carlos Takam undercard, he’ll be competing in his third different sport at Wales’ national stadium.
Having grown up in the St Mellons area of the Welsh capital, Cordina has played rugby and football at the venue.
Aged 11, the former scrum-half represented Cardiff Schools in the DC Thomas Cup final against Bridgend – a match that ended in a draw resulting in the cup being shared.
Yet while he showed promise as a young rugby player, there were signs from the very beginning that Cordina might be better off in a different sport.
“I was always fighting. If something was happening on the pitch it was because of me,” he smiled.
“I was hot-headed and everyone seemed to pick on me because I was small.
“But little did they know that they were in for big shock.
“It just made sense for me to go to the boxing gym.”
Not that his journey there was embarked upon with any sense of expectation. If anything it came about by chance and was accompanied by a sense of reluctance.
Cordina recalls being encouraged to head down to Stable ABC on Cardiff’s Newport Road – which has since closed down – by his father, purely to work on his fitness for rugby. At first, he didn’t fancy it. “We were driving and we went past a few of the lads and they were all running, so I asked my dad ‘where are they going?’” he said.
“He told me they were from the local boxing gym and asked me if I wanted to go. I told him no.
“But he encouraged me to go training just to keep fit for the rugby and that’s what got me into it.
“I ended up going and enjoyed it. I took a couple of beatings at the start, but it was nothing I couldn’t get over. I enjoyed every minute of it.”
Little did Cordina know he was already on the path to an amateur career that saw the Welshman win Commonwealth bronze and European gold, and also represent Team GB at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Welsh Wizard turned professional earlier this year and, boasting a 4-0 record, none of his last three fights – including a bout with Sergej Vib on the Joshua/Klitschko undercard at Wembley – have made it to the second round.
Comparisons can be drawn between the start of the 25-yearold’s career and Joshua’s early days – walking through the learning fights as pundits attempt to curb their expectations.
Now tonight’s Joshua-Takam headline act has propelled Cordina’s career into the stratosphere.
“He’s come from where I came from,” he explained. “We started at GB boxing in the same week.
“To see where he is now is unbelievable and an inspiration for me and every other boxer just starting out, especially as a pro.
“To be where he is now he had to go to an Olympics, he had to go to all these major tournaments, it didn’t just happen overnight.
“I’ve done the same and now I’m starting out as a pro and progressing. Hopefully I’ll get to where he is.”
For now, though, Cordina must be patient.
It is certain there will be thousands in the stadium when the Cardiff boy enters the ring.
Until now, Cordina has never been anything other than in total control of his fights. More of the same is expected this weekend.
“It’s going to be exciting. I know I’m going to have a lot of goosebumps,” he admitted.
“I’m just trying to soak it all up because I might not be able to do this again – you never know what’s around the corner.” Do not be fooled. When Cordina was quizzed on one day returning to Cardiff as the headline act, with a glint in his eye, he replied: “That’s the plan.”