Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn says Joe Cordina has agreed terms to fight Manny Pacquiao on the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua undercard at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on December 11. Hearn said Cordina's side has agreed to the fight but it is not yet certain it will happen. Cordina last fought in December, beating Gabriel Flores Jr. by unanimous decision to win the WBO International lightweight title, while Pacquiao's last bout was a majority draw with Mario Barrios in July last year.
Joe Cordina has reportedly agreed terms to fight Manny Pacquiao on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua, though the bout is not officially confirmed. Bloody Elbow reported that Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said Cordina's side has signed off on the fight, which would take place at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on December 11.
Hearn was careful to stress that the matchup is not a done deal. By his account, Cordina has accepted the terms, but it remains uncertain whether the fight will actually happen. Pacquiao's camp has not been reported as agreeing to anything.
The fighters
Cordina, the Cardiff-based lightweight, would be fighting close to home on one of the biggest nights British boxing has seen in years. His most recent bout came in December, when he beat Gabriel Flores Jr. by unanimous decision to win the WBO International lightweight title. That result gives him a recent win and a regional belt heading into any Pacquiao negotiation.
Pacquiao's most recent bout was a majority draw with Mario Barrios in July last year. A draw rather than a loss keeps his comeback narrative alive, but it also means he has not recorded a win in that run, and he would be returning after a long gap if the fight is made.
The main event
The card is headlined by Fury and Joshua. Fury, 38, is listed at 36-2-1 and stands six-foot-nine with an 85-inch reach. Joshua, 37, is six-foot-six with an 82-inch reach. The pair are separated by one year in age, three inches in height and three inches in reach, with Fury holding the advantage in each.
Why it matters
- A Pacquiao fight in Cardiff would give the Fury-Joshua card a major name further down the bill and a home-town draw in Cordina.
- Cordina's WBO International title win in December would be tested against one of the sport's most famous names.
- Pacquiao's draw with Barrios leaves his standing unsettled, making the matchup a measure of where he stands after the layoff.
Until Pacquiao's side and the promoters make an official announcement, the fight remains a proposal rather than a booked bout.
Tyson Fury vs Anthony "AJ" Joshua
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