Ex-boxing world champion Joe Cordina to stand trial after denying assault charges

Former two-time boxing world champion Joe Cordina has denied assaulting another man.

Cordina, 34, who has held the IBF super-featherweight title on two occasions and represented Team GB at the 2016 Olympics, appeared at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault by beating.

South Wales Police previously confirmed the charges relate to an incident outside Pentwyn Service Station in Cardiff on 27 February this year.

During the brief hearing on Tuesday morning, Cordina appeared in the dock alongside Jamie O’Brien, 33, from Pentwyn, who has also been charged with assault in connection with the incident.

The court previously heard the offences the two men are charged with are alleged to be “against each other”.

On Tuesday, Nadeem Majid, representing Cordina, said the second charge of assault he faces “emanates from one continued incident”.

O’Brien did not enter a plea during the hearing.

District Judge Charlotte Murphy set a trial date for Cordina of October 13 at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court.

She said: “You’ve pleaded not guilty to two offences, which means there’s going to be a trial. Until then, I grant you unconditional bail.”

The court heard Cordina denies the assault and says “any actions were in self-defence”.

A further charge of threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place has been discontinued.

Megan Harriman appeared for the prosecution, while Declan McSorley represented O’Brien, who is charged with assault by beating.

The judge told O’Brien: “Your case is being adjourned until August 26 back at this court.

“I grant you unconditional bail.”

Both men spoke only to confirm their names, addresses and dates of birth during the brief hearing.

The Cardiff fighter (19-1 9KOs) was due to face America’s Abdullah Mason in a world title bout in Cleveland earlier this month, but revealed in an Instagram story in June that his application for a US visa had been knocked back, triggering the collapse of the contest.

In a video, Cordina said: “Just to let everyone know that I’m not going to fight. There’s no injuries, I’ve had a great camp and 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 wasn’t having it.

“They just basically told me ‘you ain’t getting in’. It’s out of my hands and I’m absolutely gutted because it was my chance to become a three-time, two-weight world champion.”