JOE Cordina has the chance to reclaim the IBF super featherweight world title after he was controversially stripped of it last year.
Cordina comfortably took home the IBF super featherweight championship last year after knocking out Kenichi Ogawa in round two with a devastating right-hand.
The Welshman had an agreement with the IBF that the winner of the bout with Ogawa would face Rakhimov by September this year, in a mandatory title defence.
But Cordina suffered a hand injury in training which prevented him from fighting Rakhimov, which the IBF initially granted medical extensions for. However, the title was stripped from him when he had to get surgery.
Whilst many considered it an extremely harsh decision, Rakhimov went on to stop Zelfa Barrett to win the vacant belt.
Cordina will go into the fight as the favourite for most people as he looks to reclaim the championship. But both fighters are undefeated and Rakhimov will be looking to cause an upset by defending his title in the Welshman’s home country.
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When is Rakhimov vs Cordina?
- Rakhimov’s clash with Cordina will take place on Saturday, April 22.
- The fight will be held at the Cardiff International Arena, Wales.
- The programme will commence at 7pm in the UK.
- The main card is scheduled to get underway at 10pm in the UK.
What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?
- The 12-round bout will be shown live on DAZN.
- Subscription to DAZN starts from £9.99 per month and can be purchased here.
- The bout can also be streamed on DAZN.com or via the DAZN app, or on HD Sky Box owners can sign up to watch the fight on DAZN 1 on channel 429.
Rakhimov vs Cordina fight card
Here are all the scheduled fights on the card so far:
- Shavkat Rakhimov vs Joe Cordina; For Rakhimov’s IBF super featherweight title
- Gavin Gwynne vs. Craig Woodruff; For Gwynne’s British lightweight title
- Zelfa Barrett vs. Alex Dilmaghani; For vacant WBA Continental super featherweight title
- Sandy Ryan vs. Marie-Pier Houle; For 10 rounds, welter vacant WBO welterweight title
- Jordan Thompson vs. Luke Watkins; For Thompson’s IBF European cruiserweight title
- Brandon Scott vs. TBA; Featherweight
- Sammy Lee vs. TBA; Light heavyweight
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk