Cardiff fighter Joe Cordina selected for World Championships

16 September 2015 09:55

Cardiff's newly-crowned European champion Joe Cordina will lead an eight-strong team of Great Britain boxers to the World Championships in Qatar next month.

The 23-year-old lightweight, who scooped gold in Bulgaria in August, will aim for the top of the podium again at the event which also doubles as an Olympic qualifier for Rio 2016.

Cordina is joined in the team by Harvey Horn, Muhammad Ali, Qais Ashfaq, Pat McCormack and Joshua Buatsi, all of whom also won medals in what proved Britain's best performance at the continental event.

London super-heavyweight Joe Joyce and Sunderland welterweight Josh Kelly complete the line-up by virtue of having won medals at the European Games in Baku in July.

Cordina told Press Association Sport: "I showed by winning the gold medal in Bulgaria that I am ready to step up and take the initiative and Rio couldn't come at a better time for me.

"I missed out on going to London because I wasn't physically or mentally ready at that point but I have gained so much experience since then and I feel I'm at the right age.

"With the form I'm in at the moment, if I can carry it on to the worlds and qualify for Rio there is no reason why I can't come home with an Olympic medal round my neck."

The World Championships take place in Doha from October 6 to 15. Three subsequent Olympic qualification tournaments will determine the exact numbers to go to Rio.

Source: PA