Cordina out of Mason fight after US visa block

Cordina out of Mason fight after US visa blockImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Joe Cordina had been hoping to become a three-time, two-weight world championPublished1 hour agoJoe Cordina's WBO lightweight title fight against American Abdullah Mason is off with the Welshman saying he has been denied entry to the United States.Wales' former super-featherweight world champion Cordina, 34, had been due to take on Mason in Cleveland on Saturday, 4 July.But Cordina says the United States embassy in London turned down his visa application.In a social media post Cordina stated: "I was due to fly to the United States 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 had all the paperwork to back it up, and they wasn't having it. "They just sort of basically told me you ain't getting in, so it's on my hands. "Absolutely gutted, because it's my chance to become a three time two-weight world champion, plus fight for a world title in America, which was a goal of mine."Cordina added he "feels bad" for Mason and denied suggestions he has suffered an injury."I've seen a load of things saying injuries, and this, and there's no injuries. I've had a great camp," said Cordina.The Cordina fight was set to be Mason's first defence of the belt he won in an epic encounter with Sam Noakes in November 2025.Cordina, from Cardiff, had been hoping to become a two-weight world champion.He lost his IBF 130lb world title in May 2024, a shock defeat by Anthony Cacace the only loss in his 19-fight professional career.He has since beaten Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz to claim the vacant WBO global lightweight title before dominating Gabriel Flores Jr in California on the way to a unanimous victory on points in December 2025.Cordina won British and Commonwealth titles at lightweight earlier in his career, having bee...