Cordina: I’ll have an answer for anything Gwynne brings

Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images

The British lightweight champion’s goal is the world stage, and he plans to win in style this weekend.

British lightweight champion and top rising talent Joe Cordina is another man who will be part of this Saturday’s huge Lomachenko-Campbell card on ESPN+, as the 27-year-old from Cardiff defends his belt against undefeated Gavin Gwynne on the undercard.

Cordina (9-0, 7 KO) has dominated thus far as a pro, including his last two fights at the higher end of domestic level against Sean Dodd and Andy Townend. He beat Dodd by wide decision in Aug. 2018, winning the Commonwealth title, and added the British title by stopping Townend in the sixth round on April 20.

Gywnne (11-0, 1 KO) is a fellow Welshman, but the 29-year-old isn’t seen as the sort of potential standout that Cordina is. Gwynne got here by winning an eliminator last October, defeating Myron Mills over 10 rounds.

But Gwynne, at 6’0”, is a tall and rangy lightweight, and he believes his style could give the skilled Cordina some problems. Cordina doesn’t see it that way.

“I bring the right sparring partners in all the time, it’s not the first time I’ve fought someone who’s been six foot,” said Cordina. “I’ve been boxing fighters who are long and rangy and taller than me since the amateurs. I’ve had sparring partners for this fight who are the same height and probably technically better than Gavin, I’ve got an answer for everything he brings.”

Cordina also isn’t worried about Gwynne’s talk of superior conditioning.

“All I’ve been hearing is how fit he is, and will I be able to handle the pace or whatever, this is my third fight scheduled for 12. I’ve trained for 12 rounds even when I was boxing in ten round fights. Gavin has only boxed 10 rounds twice and he blew a gasket. When he’s got someone who is going to fight with him and will catch him you will see how he copes with that. Let him think what he wants, he will have the shock of his life. I have to win, and I have to do it in style.”

Cordina says he did spar Gwynne in the past, and that his goals are much bigger than a win on Saturday.

“We only sparred once and you can’t take too much from that as it was four rounds. It was five years ago so it’s irrelevant. This isn’t about bragging rights for me, my goal is to become a world champion. If I win, I move on and I’ll never look back at him again. If he’s thinking about bragging rights then his ambitions clearly aren’t that big. For me, it’s about winning to get closer to my goal.”