Shakur Stevenson Withdraws from Cordina Fight

Shakur Stevenson has withdrawn from his scheduled WBC lightweight title defense against Joe Cordina on October 12 due to a hand injury that required immediate surgery. Stevenson, who remains unbeaten with a 22-0 record, announced he plans to return to the ring in early 2025. The bout was slated to be part of the undercard for the highly anticipated light heavyweight clash between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Promoter Eddie Hearn is now seeking a new opponent for Cordina and aims to secure a significant fight for the British boxer. This cancellation disrupts the plans for Stevenson's debut in a two-fight contract with Matchroom Boxing, but he remains optimistic about a strong comeback. Meanwhile, the undercard event will proceed without the Stevenson vs. Cordina match.