Gabe Flores Jr and Joe Cordina both predicted an early night as they drew battle lines in an e-press conference ahead of their showdown at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California on Saturday December 13, live worldwide on DAZN.
Flores and Cordina meet in a critical clash for their respective careers with their co-main event battle serving as a final eliminator for the WBO World title at 135lbs, a belt that’s on the line when Abdullah Mason and Sam Noakes clash in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday November 22, live worldwide on DAZN PPV.
Local star Flores (27-2 8 KOs) can land a first World title shot with victory on December 13, while Welshman Cordina (18-1 9 KOs) can secure a chance to become a two-weight World champion with victory – the stakes could not be higher for the pair, and they had plenty to say as they came face-to-face virtually in a head-to-head monitored by Matchroom’s Jamie Ward.
FIGHTER QUOTES:
Gabe Flores Jr.
“I see a domination from my side. I feel great, I’ve had great sparring, and I don’t think it goes all 12 rounds. I’m just glad he signed the contract so we can get it on December 13.
“It’s another level up climbing the ranks. It feels good to be fighting back in Stockton, my best performances so far have been there, and I feel great, I can’t wait and each fight gets better and better for me.
“I just wanted this fight. I was excited and it sounded good, so I was looking forward to it, but it looked like it wasn’t going to happen as one point as they were sending me other opponents, so I was confused and disappointed, so I had to poke the bear to make sure it happened.
“I think it’s a great style to match up with and it’s going to bring the best out of me. Fighting a lot of the fighters that I’ve been fighting has been good, but when I have someone that is a good name, it’s going to bring me up and get the best of me.
“Joe is good, his resume speaks for itself, a two-time World champion and he’s technical and pretty sharp. A shoot-out suits me, I’d welcome that, that’s music to my ears. I can win World titles and move up and win more World titles, but right now the focus is on December 13 because that’s where I can prove how great a fighter I am.
“This is for my city. Growing up is tough there and there’s a lot of people that don’t have a lot of hope or belief to do something big. So, I am coming in to win my first World title and show that they can do it.”
Joe Cordina
“I don’t think it going all 12 rounds, but I’ve been wrong before. It could go to points, but I’m going to get the win, don’t worry about that. Just make sure you do your work, bro.
“This is going to get me back to where I believe I belong, at the top. I’ve watched Gabe a couple of times over the years, he’s a good fighter, and the better the opponent I’m with, the better I perform. I know what to expect, I know he’s tough and a good fighter, but so am I, so I’m looking forward to it.
“I’ve been to places where I have gone out of my comfort zone, and the fans can’t get in and fight for him nor for me, it’s just me and him.
“I’m not scared of Gabe or any man that has two hands and bleeds. I always thought that we would cross paths. If you look at the achievements and the resumes, and who has fought whom, I would be the a-side, but I don’t care about that, I’m coming for a fight.
“I know he’s a good fighter and he’s tough, but the step ups he’s had to that World level, he’s fallen short. That’s not saying he isn’t World level, just that he’s got in the ring with someone that he can’t compete with stylistically.
“It’s going to come down to the small percentages. I’ve been in the World title fights and I know what the pressures are like. This is an eliminator for the World title and I’ve done those 12 rounds plenty of times, and those extra couple of rounds is a big difference and are the rounds that will show on the night.
“I think it could come to a shoot-out, but I’ve been wrong before. I went into my last fight thinking this guy is 19-0 with 17 KOs and not gone the distance, and he’s coming for a Mexican shoot-out, but he started moving and boxing. So, this could be a shoot-out, or it could be an out and out boxing match. I’m ready for anything. I’ve been in fights where I’ve shown I can punch, I’ve shown that I can dog it out, and I’ve boxed people’s heads off, so I’ve done it all.”
