Welsh boxer and former world champion Joe Cordina pleaded not guilty to two counts of assaulting a man by beating outside a petrol station in Cardiff earlier this year. The incident involving the 34-year-old is alleged to have happened outside Pentwyn service station at Pentwyn Road on February 27, 2026.
Court appearance
At a hearing at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning, Cordina confirmed his name, date of birth and address. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault by beating of Jamie O'Brien. District Judge Charlotte Murphy listed the matter for a trial which is due to last for a day on October 13.
Second defendant
A second defendant, Jamie O'Brien, 32, from Pentwyn, has also been charged with assault by beating of Cordina and appeared before the court on Tuesday morning alongside the former world champion. O'Brien did not enter pleas and his case was adjourned until August 26 to see whether his case could be dealt with outside of court.
Fight cancellation
The former super-featherweight world champion had been due to fight in a WBO lightweight title fight with Abdullah Mason in Cleveland on Saturday, July 4, but was forced to pull out. On Instagram, Cordina said: "Just to let everyone know that I'm not going to fight. It's not injuries, I've seen a lot of [reports] saying injuries, but there's no injuries. I've had a great camp. I was meant to fly over this week. A couple of days back I went to the US Embassy in London and they basically denied me a visa. I tried to explain certain things and I had all the paperwork to back it up and they [sic] wasn't having it. They basically told me, 'you ain't [sic] getting in'. It's out of my hands and I'm absolutely gutted to become a three-time, two-weight world champion, plus fight for a world title in America was a goal of mine. Feel bad for Abdullah, but obviously myself as well."
