Joe Cordina targets Manny Pacquiao on Fury vs Joshua undercard

What has actually been agreed?

The strongest update came from Eddie Hearn, who told reporters that terms had been agreed from Cordina’s side, while stressing that the fight was not confirmed. That is important promoter language. It means an offer, a purse and broad conditions may be acceptable, but Pacquiao’s team, broadcasters, commissions and the final contract still have work to do.

Cordina has also said he was offered the Pacquiao fight for the Fury-Joshua card. Other reports have similarly described the fight as an option being explored rather than a completed booking, including coverage from DAZN and Brit Brief.

That is enough to make the prospect real. It is not enough to print posters declaring Cordina v Pacquiao official.

Boxing has a poor habit of treating negotiations as fixtures. A fighter can agree to a bout, but the fight can still fall apart over weight, medical requirements, television obligations, gloves, rematch language, training schedules or simply one side deciding the risk no longer matches the reward. Pacquiao has earned the right to be selective. Cordina is in the position where the biggest name available can also be the most meaningful career move.

Why Cordina wants it

Cordina, 34, does not need to be told what Pacquiao represents. In an interview with BBC Sport Wales, he called a meeting with Pacquiao an honour and said that a legend of that stature is different from a standard title opportunity.

He has a point.

A world belt is the clearest measure of present achievement, but Pacquiao is part of boxing history. He won titles from flyweight to light-middleweight, defeated great fighters across generations and was still competing at a serious level after most fighters have been retired for years. A win over Pacquiao in Cardiff would not make Cordina an eight-weight champion by association. It would, however, put his name beside one of the sport’s defining modern figures.

Cordina already has proper credentials. He won the IBF super-featherweight title with a one-punch knockout of Kenichi Ogawa, defended it against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in a hard, high-class fight and has shown he can handle pressure in front of a home crowd. His profile has never lacked quality. What it has lacked is the one crossover event that makes casual sports followers stop and pay attention.

Pacquiao provides that in one night.

There is also the setting. Cardiff-born Cordina fighting on a stadium bill in his own city, beneath Fury v Joshua, is exactly the sort of occasion British boxing should make room for. The main event will rightly dominate the promotion, but a Welsh former world champion against a Filipino icon gives the undercard identity rather than filler.

The Fury v Joshua fight was confirmed for Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, and tickets reportedly disappeared quickly. A fight of this size does not need another selling point, but Pacquiao’s first professional appearance in the United Kingdom would turn an enormous bill into a genuine occasion from the opening bouts.

The question of weight matters most

The central sporting issue is not whether Pacquiao remains famous. It is what version of Pacquiao enters the ring, and at what weight.

Cordina’s best work came at super-featherweight, 130lb. Pacquiao’s late career was built much higher, largely around welterweight. The Filipino great is 47, has not boxed since July 2025 and is returning from a second retirement. Those facts make a carefully negotiated catchweight likely if the fight is made.

That catchweight cannot simply be a number chosen for the press release. It will shape the contest.

Cordina is the naturally younger, fresher fighter, but he has spent much of his career at lower weights than the latter-day Pacquiao. Asking Pacquiao to make a draining weight at 47 would be irresponsible and would damage the sporting value of the occasion. Allowing Cordina to come in too light against a larger version of Pacquiao would be equally foolish. A viable agreement needs a sensible catchweight, clear rehydration terms if either camp wants them, and enough time for both men to prepare properly.

The British Boxing Board of Control and the relevant medical staff would also need to be satisfied. A high-profile veteran fight brings extra scrutiny, as it should. Pacquiao is an exceptional athlete, but reputation does not replace medicals, licensing or ring-readiness.

Can Pacquiao still compete?

Pacquiao is no longer the whirlwind who overwhelmed Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. Nobody should pretend otherwise. The physical advantages of youth matter, particularly when a 34-year-old former world champion is across the ring.

Still, this is not a novelty act if Pacquiao is properly prepared.

His footwork, straight left hand, timing and ability to punch while changing angle made him special. Those qualities do not disappear entirely. The question is how much speed remains, how long his legs can sustain a busy pace and how well he copes with a disciplined opponent who will not be intimidated by a famous surname.

Cordina would need to fight with respect, not reverence. He is technically sound, sharp enough to counter and experienced enough to understand that older great fighters can be dangerous in bursts. He cannot stand at range waiting for Pacquiao to throw the left hand first, but neither should he rush in and offer the Filipino clean openings.

The sensible Cordina plan would involve a controlled jab, pressure to the body, smart use of distance and a pace that tests Pacquiao’s engine without making the Welshman reckless. It is a fight Cordina should believe he can win. If he does not believe that, he should not take it.

A major undercard needs substance

Fury v Joshua is the fight British heavyweight boxing has chased for years. The broader card is still taking shape, with undercard reports and possible names circulating, while outlets including Sportbible and the Express have highlighted the prospect of another major contest being added.

Cordina v Pacquiao would be more than a celebrity attachment to a heavyweight event. If matched fairly, it is a credible fight between a former British world champion seeking a defining scalp and an all-time great measuring what remains in his final chapter.

The commercial attraction is obvious. The sporting details are the difficult part, and they should not be waved away because both names look good on a poster.

For young boxers watching from Kidbrooke and across south-east London, the useful lesson is simple. Big opportunities are earned long before the contract arrives. Cordina built himself into a world champion, stayed visible, and now has the chance to turn a homecoming into something far bigger.

For anyone aged seven and over who wants to start building that foundation properly, Honour & Glory Boxing Club’s trial sessions are a good first step.

Until contracts are signed and the weight is confirmed, Cordina v Pacquiao belongs in the “advanced and exciting” category, not the “official” category. If it does happen, Cardiff will have one of the strongest undercard attractions British boxing has produced in years.