Joe Cordina Faces Assault and Weapon Threat Charges
Joe Cordina, the 32-year-old Welsh boxer who had been aiming to become a three-time, two-weight world champion, is scheduled to appear in court in July after being charged with assault and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place.
The former super-featherweight world champion was set to compete for the WBO lightweight title in the United States on 4 July.
Details of the Incident and Charges
South Wales Police (SWP) confirmed that Cordina and another individual have been charged in connection with an incident that occurred outside Pentwyn Service Station on Pentwyn Road, Cardiff, on 27 February 2026.
SWP stated:
"Joseph Cordina, 34, from Pontprennau, has been charged with assault and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place. He is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on July 7.
Jamie O'Brien, 32, from Pentwyn, has been charged with assault and is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on July 28."
Visa Denial and Fight Cancellation
Cordina was scheduled to fight American boxer Abdullah Mason in Cleveland on Saturday, 4 July. However, Cordina revealed that his visa application to the United States was denied by the US embassy in London.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Cordina stated:
"I was due to fly to the United States this week. A couple of days back I went to the US embassy in London and they basically denied me a visa.
I tried to explain certain things, and had all the paperwork to back it up, and they wasn't having it.
They just sort of basically told me you ain't getting in."
Context of the Scheduled Fight
The fight against Cordina was intended to be Mason's first defence of the WBO lightweight title, which he won in a notable bout against Sam Noakes in November 2025.
Cordina, who hails from Cardiff, had been pursuing the achievement of becoming a two-weight world champion.
Career Background
He lost his IBF 130lb world title in May 2024 in a surprising defeat by Anthony Cacace, marking the only loss in his 19-fight professional career.
Following that, Cordina secured a victory over Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz to claim the vacant WBO global lightweight title. He then dominated Gabriel Flores Jr in California, achieving a unanimous points victory in December 2025.
Earlier in his career, Cordina won British and Commonwealth titles at lightweight. He was also a decorated amateur boxer who competed at the Olympics and was part of the same Team GB programme as his friend Anthony Joshua.
