Joe Cordina will be moving up to lightweight after losing his IBF super featherweight title to Anthony Cacace by an eighth-round knockout last Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that Cordina is going up to 135 pounds because it has become increasingly difficult for him to make the 130-pound limit.
The 32-year-old Cordina endured a relentless assault from Ireland’s Anthony Cacace, who, despite not being known for his power, overwhelmed Cordina with nonstop punches. Cacace hurt Cordina early on, hitting him on the break in the third round, and never let up.
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In addition to the damage inflicted by Cacace, Cordina’s previous fight against Edward Vazquez last November raised concerns about his durability. Cordina won a controversial 12-round majority decision against Vazquez, a bout in which many boxing fans felt Vazquez deserved the victory.
There will be no rematch between Cordina and Cacace due to the mandatory challenger, Eduardo "Sugar" Nunez, who is next in line. Eddie Hearn acknowledged that moving up to lightweight might be challenging for Cordina, considering he struggled with taking punches from super featherweights. Competing at 135 pounds, where opponents hit harder and possess more talent, could be even more difficult.
Hearn commented on the fight:
"You hate saying it after, but he hit Cordina after the break [in round three], and Cordina never really recovered, but Cacace continuously hurt him. Although that didn’t help, Cacace still put in a great performance and really beat Joe up in there. I think Joe will feel it’s time to move to 135 now."
Cordina’s future at lightweight remains uncertain, and there are doubts about his ability to succeed in a division filled with formidable opponents.
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