Boxing
Abdullah Mason draws a veteran test in Joe Cordina
The fight combines two promotional paths. Mason works with Top Rank, which recently signed a broadcast contract with DAZN. Cordina has a long-standing relationship with Matchroom Boxing as well as DAZN, which helped facilitate polished pre-fight talks.
Cordina, 34, is rebuilding after losing the IBF belt to Anthony Cacace in May 2024. He has since moved up to lightweight and recorded wins over Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz and Gabriel Flores Jr. while working with trainer Gary Lockett.
Joe Cordina’s WBO ranking at No. 1 has certainly sparked criticism among fans who look at the lightweight landscape. Cordina’s assassins currently sit above; Alan Chaves and William Zepeda are probably the most avoided fighters in the division right now.
When you look at the mechanics of this phenomenon, you get the impression of a classic combination of name recognition and strategic business.
Cordina’s recent victory over Gabriel Flores Jr. December 12, 2025 was the fight for the WBO International lightweight title. In the world of sanctioning bodies, winning one of their regional or international belts is a quick route to the top ranking, regardless of whether the opponent was a world-class threat.
With Top Rank moving to DAZN, it makes sense for all parties involved to have a recognizable name for Abdullah Mason’s homecoming. Cordina has the UK market and a championship resume that looks good on a poster, even if his recent activity at 135 pounds is limited.
Argentinian Chaves is currently ranked No. 2 and Zepeda is No. 3. Both are younger, arguably fresher and much more unsafe in terms of pure punching power at this weight.
Some fans have the impression that Cordina’s ranking and title fight is more of a business move intended to facilitate a specific event. By ranking Cordina at No. 1, the WBO is making the Mason vs. Cordina fights at a mandatory level, which saves Mason from having to fight a high-risk/low-reward monster like Zepeda or Chaves in his first defense.
It gives Mason a chance to look like a superstar in Cleveland against a former world champion, while also giving Cordina a huge payday and a shortcut back to the top. If Cordina is snapped up early by a juvenile phenom like Mason, the WBO could simply move on to the next challenger after realizing penalty fees for the huge July 4 event.
Mason vs. Cordina talks have been ongoing since early April and are now close to finalizing the Independence Day card.
Sam Noakes, whom Mason defeated in the title fight, returned to action on Sunday and stopped Benito Sanchez Garcia within two rounds.
Filip Hrgovic questions how Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have earned a fight for the WBA “Super” heavyweight title, arguing that attaching the belt to their matchup damages boxing’s credibility.
The fight already has two recognizable names and a rivalry that can sell without a championship. Adding a world title invites a different question: what have either man’s recent performances done to justify that reward?
“They are both big superstars, but how are they fighting for a title?” Hrgovic told The Stomping Ground when asked about the proposed WBA title stakes. “Where did that come from? … These kinds of decisions, it’s killing the sport. It’s not good for the sport. And because of these funny decisions, people don’t consider boxing a serious sport.”
Fury and Joshua already have the recognition to sell their fight. Their rivalry is the attraction. Adding the WBA’s highest heavyweight title gives the event a sporting endorsement that requires more explanation than either man’s name can provide.
Gassiev’s position makes that harder to justify. With him holding the regular championship, the proposed title stakes would allow Fury and Joshua to fight for superior recognition within the same organization without going through its existing titleholder. What, then, is Gassiev’s belt supposed to mean?
That is the weakness of the WBA’s multiple-title structure. A fighter can hold its championship and still watch a more commercially attractive pairing receive the bigger prize. The distinction becomes difficult to defend if the organization cannot explain the sporting criteria behind it.
There is also a financial question worth asking. Sanctioning a major event can benefit the organization collecting the fees. That makes a clear explanation of eligibility especially necessary: what qualifies Fury and Joshua for this opportunity, and how does Gassiev fit into the decision?
Hrgovic has his own interests. He wants recognition as the division’s best champion and would benefit from undermining rival claims. But his objection still demands an answer.
Fans can enjoy Fury-Joshua as a major occasion without treating it as the fight that establishes heavyweight supremacy. The WBA risks blurring that distinction by attaching its highest title to a matchup whose appeal is already secure.
The rivalry gives the promotion something valuable to sell. The championship should represent something the fighters have earned.
Audley Harrison believes the Deontay Wilder who terrorized the heavyweight division is gone as the American closes in on a potential final dance with Oleksandr Usyk.
Speaking exclusively to World Boxing News, Harrison backed the proposed Usyk-Wilder showdown as a fitting final fight for both former champions.
WBN understands March 2027 is being targeted, with Las Vegas currently the number-one choice to stage the fight.
Wilder kept himself in contention by defeating Derek Chisora, while Usyk has cleared the way for one final fight after relinquishing his sanctioning body heavyweight championships.
“Deontay has carried the flag for USA heavyweights for a decade, and he’s coming to the end of a great career,” Harrison exclusively told WBN.
“He gutted out the win over Chisora, so finishing with a big payday and match up makes sense. He’s not going to be excited facing an upcoming champ, and he’s not in line to get a championship fight, so this one makes sense.”
The Old Bronze Bomber Is Gone
Harrison is far less optimistic about Wilder’s chances of actually beating Usyk.
Wilder’s right hand carried him through ten successful defenses of the WBC heavyweight title and made him one of the most feared punchers of his generation.
Harrison, who lost to Wilder in one round as the Tuscaloosa puncher made his way toward becoming world champion, doesn’t believe that version of the KO artist exists anymore.
“I don’t think Wilder has the technical knowhow, or the tactical lens from his team that will give him a shot at winning,” Harrison said.
“The old Bronze Bomber has gone now, so what’s left is a gutsy former champion, looking for another dance partner to showcase what’s left.
“We saw with the Chisora fight that Wilder is still as game as they come, but the knockout power in his right hand is not there, so hopefully Usyk is talking the fight as his swan song too, and they don’t go all out.
“Many sports (football, cricket, Tennis, Golf and many more) have testimonials when the sports people retire, so why can’t boxing and the boxers have the same endings.”
Usyk and Wilder’s Legacies
Harrison also believes both men belong in the International Boxing Hall of Fame once their careers are over.
“For me, this generation has not been as technically or tactically gifted as Hall of Fame boxers from the past,” Harrison said.
“The old school boxers were taught to box and had far more skills, IQ and technical abilities.
“I do think Usyk skills and boxing IQ is a close match to champs of the past, so he will definitely make the Hall of Fame.
“Wilder, I think he will make it too (although not technically masterful) … He represented USA boxing with distinction coming up & he was destroying everyone all the way to a title, which he held for 5 years.”
Nothing has been finalized for Usyk-Wilder, although WBN understands a spring clash is on the cards and Dana White could be involved.
WBN previously reported that White was asked directly whether Usyk could finish his career under the Zuffa Boxing banner and whether Wilder could be the opponent.
“Anything is possible,” White replied to both.
For Harrison, the fight makes sense even if he believes Wilder’s most dangerous weapon has deserted him.
The old Bronze Bomber may be gone, but one last dance with Usyk could still be waiting.
Join Audley Harrison on Substack for more boxing views.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.
Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.
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