Matchroom Sport offers Cordina fight to Pacquiao

British sports promotion company Matchroom Sport and its chairman, Eddie Hearn, confirmed that their fighter, Joe Cordina, had agreed to terms to face Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, as announced on Oct. 23, 2026.

With negotiations for a potential cross-generational showdown between Pacquiao and junior welterweight champion Shakur Stevenson stalled, Hearn and Matchroom Sport decided to make the first move, offering Cordina as a potential opponent for the Filipino in a year-end clash.

If the contest takes place, the Pacquiao-Cordina fight would serve as the co-feature to the main event headlined by Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight showdown on Dec. 11, 2026, at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

“Cordina has agreed terms to face Manny Pacquiao, but we don’t know if that’s happening. From our side, we’ve agreed to do it,” said Hearn.

Cordina, a 34-year-old former two-time International Boxing Federation super featherweight champion, aims to extend his winning streak after back-to-back victories over Gabriel Flores Jr. and Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz.

Known as a high-tempo boxer with strong technical skills, Cordina has a fighting style reminiscent of Carl Frampton and Vasiliy Lomachenko, relying on timely counters and precise punches to outpoint opponents.

After claiming the World Boxing Organization Global lightweight title against Gonzalez Quiroz, Cordina used razor-sharp jabs, well-timed aggression and sneaky left hooks to defeat Flores Jr. in his latest fight.

However, Cordina has yet to face a fighter of Pacquiao’s caliber and is eager to arrange the biggest match of his boxing career.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s recent boxing negotiations have failed to produce a fight, starting with his rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr., which was postponed indefinitely.

Pacquiao’s camp reiterated that while it was open to all possible fights, the priority remained facing the undefeated American, who is currently dealing with legal troubles.

Expectations then rose for a Pacquiao-Stevenson fight after sports news outlet BoxingScene reported on Sept. 24, 2026, that both fighters were finalizing the paperwork.

However, the potential blockbuster bout later stalled as Devin Haney entered the picture, challenging Stevenson to a 145-pound catchweight fight with no rehydration clause.