Cordina agrees terms to face Pacquiao on Fury-Joshua undercard

Joe Cordina has agreed terms to face Manny Pacquiao on the undercard of the Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua bout at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on 11 December, promoter Eddie Hearn said on Thursday. Hearn added: "We've agreed terms to face Pacquiao, but we don't know if it's happening," and: "From our side, we've agreed to do it."

Manny Pacquiao, 47, who has held world titles over eight weights and is a 12-time former champion, has not fought since July 2025 after returning from his second attempt at retirement. His most recent fight was a failed bid to take Mario Barrios' welterweight title, the bout ending in a majority draw, and he has a record of 62 wins from 73 fights. Pacquiao had been scheduled to face unbeaten Floyd Mayweather in September, but that rematch was postponed indefinitely in June.

Cardiff-born Joe Cordina, 34, is a former IBF super-featherweight champion who had been due to face American Abdullah Mason for the WBO lightweight title in Cleveland in July but was denied a US visa. He remained in training while standing trial for allegations of assault and was eventually cleared of all charges. That verdict has paved the way for his inclusion on the Joshua-Fury bill and Cordina has expressed eagerness to resume his career in his home city.

It would be the former Olympian's first fight in Cardiff since he regained the belt against Shavkat Rahimov the previous year. Cordina previously fought on the undercard of Fury's first fight with Oleksandr Usyk and lost his IBF title to Belfast's Anthony Cacace in Riyadh in May 2024. His emergence as Pacquiao's opponent would add a hometown flavour to the show.

Pacquiao would still be a draw for the huge television audience expected for the fight, which will be broadcast globally by streaming giants Netflix. It would be the first time Pacquiao has faced a British opponent since he beat Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas in 2009. The matchup would also represent the first time the 12-time former champion has fought in the UK.

Tickets for Fury-Joshua sold out in just one hour and were priced up to £13,000. Details of other fights on the eagerly anticipated clash are yet to be released.