Cordina agrees terms for Pacquiao fight, but Hearn says bout is not confirmed

Joe Cordina has agreed terms to fight Manny Pacquiao on the undercard of Tyson Fury's meeting with Anthony Joshua, promoter Eddie Hearn has said. BBC Sport reported that talks were at an advanced stage, but Hearn made clear that agreement from Cordina's side did not mean the contest was confirmed.

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Speaking at a media event on Thursday, Hearn said his camp had accepted terms while remaining unsure whether the fight would go ahead. Fury and Joshua are scheduled to meet at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on 11 December. Tickets for that event sold out within an hour, according to the BBC, and the show is set to be broadcast worldwide by Netflix.

For Cardiff-born Cordina, the proposed contest would provide an opportunity to resume his career in his home city. The 34-year-old former IBF super-featherweight champion had been due to challenge American Abduallah Mason for the WBO lightweight title in Cleveland in July, but was denied a US visa. Cordina continued training while standing trial on assault allegations and was subsequently cleared of all charges, the BBC reported.

Pacquiao, 47, has not boxed since July 2025, when his attempt to win Mario Barrios' welterweight title ended in a majority draw. That appearance followed another return from retirement for the Filipino, who had stepped away from the sport to concentrate on politics. His record stands at 62 victories in 73 fights, and he has won world championships across eight weight divisions.

A meeting with Cordina would be Pacquiao's first fight in the United Kingdom and his first against a British opponent since beating Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas in 2009. Pacquiao had been scheduled for a September rematch with Floyd Mayweather, whom he fought in 2015, but that contest was postponed indefinitely in June.

Cordina last boxed in Cardiff when he regained his IBF title against Shavkat Rahimov in 2023. He subsequently lost the belt to Anthony Cacace in Riyadh in May 2024 on the undercard of Fury's first contest with Oleksandr Usyk. Whether his next major undercard appearance comes against Pacquiao remains unresolved: Hearn's announcement confirmed Cordina's acceptance of terms, not a completed fight agreement.