Joe Cordina scored a stunning second round knockout at home in Cardiff, Wales, and took the IBF junior lightweight title from Kenichi Ogawa in short order.
Cordina (15-0, 9 KO) had been one of Matchroom’s more celebrated prospects, but saw his career stagnate a bit the last few years, before getting this opportunity and taking a major step up in class against Ogawa (26-2-1, 18 KO), a proven world-level fighter and defending titleholder.
Cordina, who has Maltese heritage, did come in the slight betting favourite, but that may have been mainly because he was the home fighter, and the odds suggested that if he were to win, it would go to the cards. It did not.
After a nervy first round where the two felt one another out and Ogawa, 34, landed a couple of solid power shots in the final minute, Cordina was able to catch the Japanese veteran with a shocker of a right hand, and the fight was suddenly over at an official time of 1:15 in round two.