“For me, he looked good. I don’t think it was close like a few people have been saying to me. I don’t find it was close. He definitely won clearly by a few rounds, but he was definitely getting hit,” Cordina said to the InsideRingShow when discussing Mason’s win over Noakes.
Cordina made it clear that he does not see himself as a comparable opponent to Noakes.
“No disrespect to Sam Noakes, I’m not Sam Noakes,” Cordina said. “I’m a lot faster than Sam Noakes. I’m a lot smarter than Sam Noakes. I’m not just going to plug forward and just try to bully him. I’m going to use my boxing brain.”
The former two-time IBF super featherweight champion believes his experience at the highest level gives him advantages that Mason has not yet faced.
“I haven’t had 180 odd amateur fights and been to the Olympic Games and won a European medal. I’m one of six people in Britain to ever do it, and then won two world titles within 16 fights,” said Cordina. “I haven’t done all that for not having a boxing brain, a good IQ, and being an average fighter.”
Cordina (19-1, 9 KOs) earned the #1 ranking with the WBO after moving up to lightweight and defeating Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz by a 10-round unanimous decision in July 2025 and Gabriel Flores Jr. by a 12-round unanimous decision last December in Stockton, California.
The 22-year-old Mason enters the fight as the younger, more active fighter and will likely be favored by many heading into the July 4 showdown. Mason has stopped 17 of his 20 opponents and is viewed by many as one of the sport’s brightest young talents.
The fight for Cordina represents an opportunity to prove that experience, ring IQ, and championship pedigree can still overcome youth and momentum. On July 4, he will get the chance to test that theory against one of boxing’s fastest-rising lightweights.
“I’m not Sam Noakes.” 👀
Joe Cordina says Abdullah Mason will be getting a different challenge this time around.#InsideTheRing | Latest episode available on DAZN 📺 pic.twitter.com/l5DVgUYhOi
— InsideRingShow (@InsideRingShow) June 17, 2026
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