The IBF has stripped junior lightweight champion Joe Cordina of the 130lb belt he won in June for not defending against mandatory challenger Shavkat Rakhimov. Cordina-Rakhimov had been scheduled for the November 5 Bivol-Zurdo undercard in Abu Dhabi, UAE, but Cordina pulled out with a hand injury that required surgery and will keep him out of the ring until well into 2023.
“Absolutely gutted,” said Cordina on social media. “Worked my whole life to become a world champion and I haven’t even had the chance to defend the title. Feel like I’ve been robbed!!”
Cordina (15-0, 9 KOs) earned the title with an upset KO over Kenichi Ogawa in June. However, one of the conditions set by the IBF for sanctioning was the winner must face Rakhimov, who was reportedly paid a step-aside fee. Cordina’s stablemate, IBF #2 Zelfa Barrett, will now likely take on Rakhimov for the vacant belt.
They could keep him as a Interim Champ/Champ in recess for a mere months off for hand injury but I don’t think the IBF does all those Interim deals. That’s their upside is you cleary know their champ. Downside is they are clearly screwing him so they can push more frequent fights because they don’t value him as a champ.
It does seem kind of harsh, but I guess if he agreed to it as part of the condition of getting the title shot, then he knew what he was getting into. It’s okay though. Rakhimov and Barrett will fight and Cordina can hill up and fight the winner.
The IBF doesn’t play. They stripped Canelo a few years ago and GGG the year before that.
More ”title” fights equals more sanctioning fees-they are as corrupt as all the other criminals running the sport.
Bob Lee might be gone, but the IBF continue to get things fantastically wrong.