“What about Joe Cordina? What about a two-time world champion from Wales?” demanded promoter Eddie Hearn.
Former world champion Joe Cordina had agreed terms to face 47-year-old Manny Pacquiao on the undercard of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua’s December 11 heavyweight battle at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, but the Filipino legend never reciprocated the agreement. Pacquiao has not fought since July 2025.
Negotiations for the Pacquiao bout reached an advanced stage before stalling, according to promoter Eddie Hearn. “We’ve agreed terms to face Pacquiao, but we don’t know if it’s happening,” Hearn revealed at a media event. “From our side, we’ve agreed to do it,” Hearn said.
Hearn has consistently maintained that a Welsh boxer is essential for one of the most eagerly awaited boxing events in recent memory, telling IFL TV that it is absurd to leave a two-time world champion from Wales off the undercard. While Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua anchor the event by relying on their past achievements, 41-year-old Deontay Wilder provides another aging veteran for the co-main event against Jai Opetaia.
Since coming back from his second retirement, Pacquiao remains a major attraction for the massive television viewership anticipated for the event, which Netflix will stream to a global audience. Tickets for Fury-Joshua sold out in just one hour, setting the stage for what could have been the first time the 12-time former champion has fought in the UK. Cordina, 34, had been scheduled to face American Abdullah Mason for the WBO lightweight title in Cleveland in July when he was denied a US visa.
Cordina had remained in training while standing trial for allegations of assault, eventually being cleared of all charges, which had paved the way for a place on the Joshua-Fury bill. It would have represented the former Olympian’s first fight in Cardiff since he regained the belt against Shavkat Rahimov the previous year, following his May 2024 defeat to Belfast’s Anthony Cacace in Riyadh.
Eddie Hearn is incensed that Dana White’s 21-year-old heavyweight prospect Da’Mazion Vanhouter secured the main card position for the Fury vs. Joshua event in place of Joe Cordina. Instead of featuring the Cardiff-born Cordina, the main card spot on the Netflix-broadcast global event went to 21-year-old heavyweight prospect Da’Mazion Vanhouter. The American fighter holds a 14-0 record with 11 knockouts.
Putting a fresh American heavyweight prospect on Netflix makes infinitely more sense for U.S. viewers tuning in, who have zero interest in watching Cordina.
While his history as a titleholder and his popularity in his home city offer a weak justification for his inclusion, the 34-year-old has mostly disappeared from the spotlight since his loss to Anthony Cacace, and his two subsequent bouts against subpar challengers failed to gain any traction with boxing fans.
Cordina faced visa hurdles that derailed a scheduled bout against American Abdullah Mason for the WBO lightweight title in Cleveland in July, though he was subsequently cleared of assault allegations following a trial.
