Joe Cordina Agrees Terms to Fight Manny Pacquiao on Fury vs Joshua Card
Eddie Hearn confirms Cordina's side has agreed to face Pacquiao, but the fight is far from done.
Joe Cordina has agreed terms to fight Manny Pacquiao, with the bout being discussed for the December 11 Fury vs. Joshua card. But promoter Eddie Hearn is not exactly radiating confidence that it will happen.
"We've agreed terms to fight Manny Pacquiao, but we don't know if that's happening," Hearn told media, per Boxing News 24.
The weight class has not been disclosed, which matters. Cordina is a former super featherweight champion who has been campaigning at lightweight. Pacquiao, well past his prime years, has been selectively active in exhibition and comeback bouts. The agreed weight could significantly affect how competitive the fight actually is.
For Cordina, the appeal is obvious. Pacquiao's name delivers a platform and a payday that the standard lightweight route cannot match, especially with a British audience. Boxing News 24 noted that the fight would give Cordina major exposure regardless of outcome.
The concern is that this becomes a nostalgia act. Pacquiao at his age fighting on a card headlined by two other fighters trading on past glory is a tough sell for anyone who cares about the sport moving forward. But the economics of boxing do not care about your feelings.
Next steps are settling Pacquiao's participation and making the official announcement. Until then, this is a handshake, not a contract.
I have mixed feelings here. On one hand, Pacquiao is a living legend and any fighter would be crazy to turn down that payday and that spotlight. Cordina on the Fury vs. Joshua card against Pacquiao is a career-defining opportunity even if the fight itself is not competitive.
On the other hand, we are watching the sport eat itself. The December 11 card is headlined by two fighters past their best, and now we are adding a third. At some point somebody has to invest in the next generation instead of recycling the last one.
For Cordina specifically, a dominant win over Pacquiao gives him momentum and money but does not move the needle with the sanctioning bodies. He still has to go out and earn a world title shot the hard way. If this fight happens, treat it for what it is: a platform, not a shortcut.
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