Joe Cordina Agrees Terms to Face Manny Pacquiao on Fury-Joshua Cardiff Card, Awaits Pacman's Decision

Manny Pacquiao's long-rumoured return to the ring moved a step closer on Thursday after Eddie Hearn confirmed that Welshman Joe Cordina has agreed terms to face the Filipino legend on the blockbuster Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua card in Cardiff. Hearn, speaking at the Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello press conference in Sheffield, said Cordina has accepted all terms, including the purse, for a welterweight clash at 147 pounds. The bout would serve as the co-feature on the December 11 Netflix show at the Principality Stadium, where Pacquiao already has an agreement in place with organizers SELA, according to Hearn. The 34-year-old Cordina, a two-time IBF super-featherweight champion with a 19-1 record, would move up to welterweight for the biggest fight of his career. The news comes just days after he was cleared of assault at Cardiff Magistrates' Court, a verdict that removed the legal cloud that had cancelled his July bout with Abdullah Mason in the United States. He has not fought since last December, when he beat Gabriel Flores Jr. by unanimous decision, and his only defeat came against Anthony Cacace in 2024. Pacquiao, 47, last fought in July 2025, when he came out of a four-year hiatus to draw with Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title. Shakur Stevenson was initially in talks for the Cardiff co-feature but was priced out. Now the decision rests with Pacquiao himself.