Charly Suarez Targeting Joe Cordina for IBF Title Unsure; Should Focus on Sure IBO Crack
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 28 Apr 2023
Charly Suarez.
Charly Suarez has never hide his intention of fighting UK's Joe Cordina to avenge his loss in the 2016 Rio Olympics and now that the Briton has recently regained the IBF super featherweight title, that desire has even intensified for the prospect of having a world crown as a bonus.
No one could blame Suarez for harboring that ambition but the possibility of an immediate or near future bout versus Cordina at this point is remote at best.
Cordina regained the other weekend the IBF super featherweight by split decision win over Russian Shavkatdon Rakhimov in their main event bout held in the UK.
The Briton has previously won the same title in 2021 by knockout over then defending titlist Konichi Ogawa. He was set to defend that crown against Rakhimov but an injury prevented him prompting the IBF to strip the title from him. Rakhimov eventually won the vacant crown by stopping Zelfa Barrett.
Rakhimov agreed to have Cordina as his first defense and Cordina took the opportunity to regain the crown.
Significantly, the Cordina camp is reportedly eyeing a unification with WBC champion O'Shaquie Foster or a choice defense against Zelfa Barrett who was winning the fight against Rakhimov but was stopped in the penultimate round.
That puts Suarez out of the picture at least for the rest of the year.
Already in his mid 30s, it would be advisable for Suarez to turn his full attention and focus on fulfilling his being mandatory challenger for the minor IBO world championship held by another Briton Michael Cacece.
Charly earned that right by stopping erstwhile unbeaten Australian Paul Flemming in the 12th and last round of their bout held in Sydney which also won for Suarez four other regional or international titles.
Fleming is Australia's #2 super featherweight behind only Liam Wilson who nearly beat Mexican Emmanuel Navarette for the vacant WBO super featherweight title recently. Incidentally in the latest boxrec rating, Suarez rates higher than Wilson.
In the latest IBF rating, Suarez is rated #7 with Cacece rated above him.
Fighting and winning over Cacece therefore will earn Suarez not only Cacece's IBO world title but also gain for Charly a higher world rating not only in the IBF but other major boxing bodies as well as Cacece is rated there as well.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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