While all eyes were on Las Vegas waiting for the fight between Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis, we were living a real war in Cardiff. Joe Cordina (16-0-0, 9 KOs) regained his IBF featherweight belt after defeating Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (17-1-1, 14 KOs) via unanimous decision (116-11, 115-112, 114-113 ) at the Cardiff International Arena. The man from Wales put on his belt again in front of his audience after the organization took his belt off for submitting several exception requests. The one from Tajikistan loses the title in his first defense and his undefeated.
Rakhimov came forward, trying to shorten the distance, but Cordina knew how to get out and moved well around the ring. The one from Tajikistan had a closed guard, but the one from Wales arrived with more hands. She landed good uppercuts, and Rakhimov responded by working the body. In the second round, they exchanged blowsand Cordina threw some hands to the face and body that hurt him. With a left crochet, he sent him to the canvas on his ass, but the one from Tajikistan got up. He took advantage of the venue to continue landing blows, but Rakhimov responded to hold out the last seconds of the round. The man from Wales moved around the ring well, connecting blows and marking the jab. The champion’s legs began to weaken from a straight right. In the next round, Rakhimov came out more recovered, but Cordina punished him with a crochet and an upperknew find the gaps in the closed guard of his rival.
Rakhimov turned the situation around with a powerful combination that almost sent Cordina to the canvas, who clung to him and was very touched. He drew strength and responded well, Rakhimov went to the corner with difficulties. They traded blows in the following rounds. The one from Tajikistan punished the body, and the one from Wales with loose blows. The champion was bleeding profusely from a cut below his eyebrow. In the seventh round, Cordina got the upper hand. She would land good combinations, which Rakhimov matched, and move around the ring. The one from Tajikistan did not back down, but felt many of the blows. The local launched comfortable power shots in the medium and long distance. The last rounds were very intense. They exchanged blows and in the last round, Cordina left Rakhimov touched again.
Joe Cordina thus recovers his belt that the FIB took from him. He knocks over the table to beat Rakhimov in the first defense of him, who was totally heartbroken after the judges’ verdict. The man from Wales assures that he wants to face boxers with titles to continue adding belts. He remains undefeated and convinces in a fight where both gave their all.