Joe Cordina is “absolutely gutted” to be forced out of his July 4 shot at Abdullah Mason after being denied a visa to enter the US. Albert Bell, who was due to fight Andy Cruz on July 18, is being reported as the Welshman’s replacement.
Cordina, 19-1 (9 KOs), was to challenge for Mason’s WBO lightweight title at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland. The former two-time IBF junior lightweight beltholder had been expecting to fly to the States this week to put the final touches to his preparation.
“Just to let everyone know that I’m not going to fight,” Cordina, 34, said on Instagram.
“It’s not injuries, I’ve seen a lot of [reports] saying injuries, but there’s no injuries. I’ve had a great camp. I was meant to fly over 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 I had all the paperwork to back it up and they wasn’t having it. They basically told me, ‘you ain’t getting in.’
“It’s out of my hands and I’m absolutely gutted to become a three-time, two-weight world champion, plus fight for a world title in America was a goal of mine. Feel bad for Abdullah, but obviously myself as well.”
It’s the latest setback for the unlucky Cordina. The 2016 Olympian was cruelly stripped of his IBF 130lbs title in 2022 when injury ruled him out of a mandatory defense against Shavkat Rakhimov though he would regain the belt, the following year, when he outpointed Rakhimov over 12 rounds. The shot at Mason would have been the Welshman’s first world title action since he lost that title again via an upset loss to Anthony Cacace in 2024.
Mason, 20-0 (17 KOs), won the title in November when he beat another British opponent, Sam Noakes, on points in Saudi Arabia. Now it looks like he will fight 33-year-old Bell who is 28-0 (9 KOs) and ranked sixth at lightweight by the WBO.
