Current IBF super featherweight champion Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (17-0-1, 14 KOs) and former titleholder Joe Cordina (15-0, 9 KOs) battle it out in the main event at Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff, Wales on Saturday, April 22. The pair squares off in the 12-round world championship bout live stream on DAZN.
Kicking off the fight week, the fighters came face to face at Cardiff Castle, which is “one of Wales’ leading heritage attractions and a site of international significance with 2000 years of history in the heart of the city,” as per cardiffcastle.com.
Representative of the country-host, Joe Cordina (15-0, 9 KOs) is looking to become a two-time world champion. He landed the IBF belt via one-punch KO of Japan’s Kenichi Ogawa last June, and was scheduled to make the first defense of the belt against Rakhimov in Abu Dhabi in November 2022. The bout fell off after “The Welsh Wizard” suffered a hand injury that required surgery, was forced to withdraw and subsequently stripped of his title.
Tajikistan’s Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (17-0-1, 14 KOs) lifted the vacant strap on Bivol vs Ramirez card, stopping Manchester’s Zelfa Barrett in nine rounds. Facing off Cordina, he makes the first defense of his belt against local favorite, who eyes to reclaim the title.
In Australia, Rakhimov vs Cordina airs live on Fox Sports 506 on Sunday, April 23.
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