JOE CORDINA CHARGED WITH ASSAULT AFTER CARDIFF PETROL STATION INCIDENT

Former boxing world champion Joe Cordina has been charged with assault and threatening a person with an offensive weapon following an incident at Pentwyn Service Station in Cardiff on 27 February. The 34-year-old from Pontprennau is scheduled to appear at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on 7 July. A second man, Jamie O'Brien, 32, from Pentwyn, has been charged with assault in connection with the same incident and is due to appear at court on 28 July. Both charges were confirmed by South Wales police.

Cordina is a two-time IBF super-featherweight champion with a professional record of 19 wins from 20 fights, including nine knockouts. He had been scheduled to fight Abdullah Mason for the WBO lightweight title on 4 July in Cleveland, Ohio. The bout has been cancelled following the charges and a separate development: Cordina's application for a United States visa was denied by the US embassy in London earlier this week, preventing his travel to the United States.

In a statement posted to Instagram on Wednesday, Cordina said the visa denial was unexpected and that he had presented all necessary documentation to support his application. He stated he had completed training camp for the Mason bout without injury and expressed disappointment at the loss of the opportunity to become a three-time, two-weight world champion. The charges and visa denial have effectively ended his immediate boxing plans.