“The Numbers Are A Million Miles Away”, Hearn Explains The ‘Impossible’ Economics Behind Cordina-Foster
- The Joe Cordina vs O’Shaquie Foster Unification Fight Will Not Be Next For Financial Reasons
- Cordina Has Publicly Called Out His Promoter Matchroom Boxing For Failing To Make A Unification
- Promoter Eddie Hearn Has Explained Why The Economics Don’t Work For Cordina-Foster Next
Newly-crowned IBF Super Featherweight champion, Joe Cordina, is frustrated that his desired unification fight with O’Shaquie Foster will not come to fruition next due to boxing economics.
Hearn told reporters at the post-fight press conference after Cordina regained his world title in April that the focus would be on trying to get a unification fight in September with Cardiff City stadium as the target.
Plans have now changed though and Matchroom is targeting a voluntary defence for Cordina’s next fight at the Cardiff International Arena on September 30. Hearn has explained in a recent interview why a unification next isn’t possible.
Hearn Explains Why Joe Cordina vs O’Shaquie Foster Won’t Be Next
“Joe’s frustrated because he wants a Unification fight, unfortunately, it doesn’t always work like that in Boxing.” Hearn told iFL TV‘s Colm McGuigan
“Unfortunately at the moment being in Cardiff arena at the end of September/October, you just cannot make the O’Shaquie Foster fight.”
The Cardiff International Arena has a capacity of around 5,000 and it was sold-out for both the Ogawa and Rakhimov fights. A unification fight does not work economically at the venue and they would have to go outdoors to satisfy both fighters.
“With what Joe wants, with what O’Shaquie Foster wants, it’s impossible.”, Hearn confirmed to iFL TV, “We’ve got to build towards fights like that. I know Joe’s Frustrated but we’ve still got a job to do on Joe to get him in those big money fights.”
“I want to see him in another defence. He’s frustrated, he feels like we want to put him in a domestic defence but when you look at the options to defend against, people like Zelfa Barrett and Cacace are more relevant and build a bigger show, a bigger night than someone you’ve never heard of.”
Hearn wants Cordina to defend his title at the arena against an opponent that will further help build his profile and momentum. Neither Rakhimov nor Ogawa were significant names but Barett and Cacace have boxed in Britain their whole careers and domestic British world fights tend to generate significant interest.
“We may try and work with Foster to do the Hernandez fight and then make the Cordina fight next.” Matchroom represents Foster’s mandatory Rocky Hernandez, who won last night, and they could look to put together a two-fight deal for Foster.
“He wants massive money for the unification fight so does O’Shaquie Foster. Those numbers are a million miles away from making that happen whilst we’re in Cardiff Arena. We need to go outdoors (spring/summer 2024)”
Both Hearn and Cordina want to make a unification fight with the dispute being around when it should happen. Cordina is adamant that it should be next but the economics, according to Hearn, do not work for the fight later this year as they cannot go to an outdoor venue and it would be a bigger fight next year with them both having a high-profile defence.
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