Eddie Hearn has confirmed that Joe Cordina will move up to lightweight after losing his IBF junior lightweight title to Anthony Cacace on Saturday (May 18) night.

There were question marks over Cordina making the junior lightweight limit before the fight, after a video emerged of the Welshman looking drawn before getting onto the scales at 130 pounds. Cordina has enjoyed a solid run at junior lightweight, but he was sensationally stopped by Cacace in one of the year’s biggest upsets to date. A rematch with Cacace was initially rumoured, but Cordina’s promoter Hearn has now confirmed the Welshman will be moving up to 135-pounds.

“For Joe [Cordina], the difficulty with staying at 130 was how long can you stay there,” said Hearn when speaking to Matchroom Boxing. “Now that he’s suffered that defeat, he’ll definitely be moving to 135, and congratulations to Cacace. It was a very impressive, powerful performance from him.”

Cordina’s troubles started in the third round when he was caught after the break by a left hook. The shot hurt Cordina, and he was then eventually dropped later in the round by a flurry of heavy shots. The stoppage came in the eighth after the referee decided the Welshman had taken enough damage. Hearn thinks that the shot that landed after the break was a crucial moment, as Cordina never really recovered from it.

“You hate saying it after, but he hit Cordina after the break and Cordina never really recovered, but Cacace continuously hurt him,” Hearn added. “Although that didn’t help, Cacace still put in a great performance and really picked up from that momentum and beat Joe up in there. I think Joe will feel it’s time to move up to 135 now.”