Confirmation of a contest with Gabriel Flores Jnr is “close”, according to Joe Cordina.
The Welshman, 33, is ready to travel to the Stockton Arena in Stockton, California to fight his fellow lightweight on the undercard of the super-middleweight match-up between Diego Pacheco and Kevin Lele Sadjo on December 13.
After over a year’s inactivity following his first defeat – his final fight at junior lightweight when he sacrificed his IBF title to Ireland’s Anthony Cacace – he is, after July’s victory over Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz, on course to fight twice in under six months under Gary Lockett, his new trainer.
Cordina had previously been expected to fight on his promoters Matchroom’s date in Monte Carlo on December 6, but of the 25-year-old Flores Jnr he told BoxingScene: “It got offered to me a couple of weeks back. It still ain’t done – it’s close to being done.
“Obviously he’s piped up now [on social media] so it’s made it a little bit more interesting. It’s the Diego Pacheco bill.
“He’s highly ranked with the WBO. Get a win over him, and then take his ranking [into 2026].”
Flores Jnr had “piped up” by suggesting that Cordina was reluctant to travel to fight him, but Cordina said: “I’ve been to Monte Carlo [and fought] twice. I’ve been to Saudi [Arabia] twice. So it’s a load of bollocks, really, isn’t it?”
