Joe Cordina has withdrawn from his July 4 world title fight against Abdullah Mason after being denied a U.S. visa. The withdrawal comes as South Wales Police charged the former champion with assault, with a court date set for July 7.
The charges stem from a February 27 incident outside a service station in Cardiff. South Wales Police announced that Cordina, 34, is charged with assault and threatening a person with an offensive weapon. He is scheduled to appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court next month. The news of the charges followed closely after a video circulated on social media appearing to show the altercation.
Cordina himself confirmed the fight was off, clarifying the reason was not an injury. On Instagram, he stated: “Just to let everyone know that I’m not going to fight,” He then explained the circumstances of the cancellation. “It’s not injuries… A couple of days back, I went to the U.S. Embassy in London, and they basically denied me a visa.”
According to the fighter, his attempts to resolve the issue at the embassy were unsuccessful. He had documentation prepared but officials were not swayed. “I tried to explain certain things, and I had all the paperwork to back it up, and they wasn’t having it. They basically told me, ‘You ain’t getting in.’” The visa denial scuttled what would have been a significant opportunity for his career.
Cordina described himself as “absolutely gutted” to miss the chance to become a three-time world champion in a second weight division. His professional ambitions are now on hold while he deals with his legal situation. The July 4 event in Cleveland will proceed, but with a change to the main event. WBO lightweight champion Abdullah Mason will now defend his title against the unbeaten Albert Bell.
