Bold takeaway: a dominant performance in hostile territory moves Joe Cordina a step closer to joining the two-weight world champions club. But here’s where it gets controversial... Cordina controlled the tempo, outboxing Gabriel Flores Jr across the board, even after a point deduction for rabbit punching in the sixth round. The judges’ scorecards read 117-110, 115-112, and 114-113, reflecting Cordina’s edge, though his own assessment suggested the finish wasn’t exactly how he’d hoped to seal it.
In Stockton’s Adventist Health Arena, Cordina, a former IBF super-featherweight titlist from Wales, showed why many view him as a live threat in the lightweight division. He pressured Flores effectively, driving the action and forcing the American into defensive responses while keeping Flores on the back foot for much of the night.
Cordina’s victory marks his second win at lightweight since returning from a 14-month layoff. Earlier this year, he defeated Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz on points to capture the vacant WBO Global lightweight title, a performance that laid the groundwork for this step up around the title picture.
With this win, Cordina advances to 19-1 (nine knockouts). His only defeat came at the hands of Anthony Cacace in May 2024, a setback that cost him the 130-pound title and left questions about how he’d navigate the higher division.
Flores, 25, threatened to derail the Welshman’s plans in round seven with a sharp uppercut that temporarily rattled Cordina and reminded observers that Flores remains a dangerous, live opponent. The challenger fell to 27-3 (eight KOs) with the loss.
As Cordina enters the WBO’s number-one contender conversation, his ranking will likely position him as the mandatory challenger to Abdullah Mason, the current WBO lightweight titleholder who secured the belt in a dramatic showdown against Sam Noakes late last year. Cordina, who entered this assignment as the WBO’s sixth-ranked lightweight, now has a strong case to be trusted as Mason’s next challenger and a potential unification prospect in the near future.
Would you agree Cordina’s progression proves he’s a true force at lightweight, or do you see lingering gaps that a rival could exploit in a future belt clash?
