- A district judge at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court found Joe Cordina not guilty of assault by beating on 20 October, ruling he believed force was necessary and that it was proportionate
- The case came from a February incident at a petrol station in Pentwyn, which CCTV showed began with the other man shoulder-barging the boxer; a second charge was dismissed earlier
- My view: this should mean Cordina can finally get on with his career, and the Abdullah Mason fight is the one I want to see made
Cordina Walks Free
Right then. Joe Cordina has been found not guilty of assault by beating. On Tuesday 20 October a district judge at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court ruled that she was satisfied he believed it was necessary to use force to defend himself, and that the force he used was proportionate. Let’s not beat around the bush, that is as clear a verdict as you can get.
The case went back to a February incident at a petrol station in Pentwyn, where the Cardiff fighter was filling up his car. CCTV showed the other man, Jamie O’Brien, shoulder-barging Cordina before the boxer punched him and the pair traded blows. Cordina told the court he felt threatened. O’Brien had already pleaded guilty to assault by beating, and a second assault charge against Cordina was dismissed earlier because there was no case to answer.
The Cost To His Career
This was not a quiet legal matter for him. We covered how he was denied a US visa and ended up out of the fight with Abdullah Mason while the charge was hanging over him. A 34-year-old two-time IBF super featherweight champion does not have unlimited time, and months of limbo are expensive.
What Next In The Ring?
I have not seen a fight date or opponent confirmed, so I will not pretend otherwise. But make no mistake, the obvious one is Mason. It is a proper fight with a real storyline, and Cordina’s class and ring IQ are the sort of thing a young, unbeaten fighter can struggle with. He has been there and done it at world level.
A Word On The Verdict
I am not a judge, and I will leave the legal side to the court that heard the evidence. All I will say is that the footage, as it was described in court, backed up what Cordina said all along.
My Prediction
I will not sit on the fence. Cordina is back in the ring in the first half of 2027, and I back him to beat Mason if they do get in there, because experience wins the close rounds. He is a brilliant boxer who has had a miserable year outside the ring. The best thing for him now is a proper training camp and a date. If you know, you know.