Former boxing world champion Joe Cordina appeared at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault by beating. The charges are related to an incident outside Pentwyn Service Station in Cardiff on February 27.
Cordina, 34, a two-time International Boxing Federation super-featherweight champion, appeared in court alongside Jamie O'Brien, 33, who faces assault charges in connection with the same incident. The court previously heard that the offenses for which both men are charged are alleged to be against each other.
Video footage that appears to show the boxer punching a man outside a petrol station circulated on social media. The video shows a man in a pink hoodie entering a second man's vehicle and then being subjected to a series of punches before falling to the ground. The man in the pink hoodie then appears to shout and shove the other man while he is on the ground.
Nadeem Majid, representing Cordina, stated that the second charge of assault emanates from one continuous incident. O'Brien did not enter a plea during the hearing. The court set a trial date for Cordina for October 13 at Cardiff Magistrates' Court. District Judge Charlotte Murphy granted Cordina unconditional bail until then. Cordina denies the assault, asserting that any actions taken were in self-defense. A separate charge of threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place was discontinued.
O'Brien's case was adjourned until August 26 at the same court, and he was also granted unconditional bail. Both men confirmed their names, addresses, and dates of birth during the brief hearing. O'Brien is represented by Declan McSorley, and the prosecution was represented by Megan Harriman.
In June, Cordina, who has a professional record of 19-1 with nine knockouts, revealed that his application for a U.S. visa had been denied, leading to the cancellation of a July 4 bout against Abdullah Mason in Cleveland. He stated in a video that he was denied a visa by the U.S. embassy in London despite having all necessary paperwork. Cordina previously won a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, a gold medal at the 2015 European Championships, and represented Team GB at the 2016 Olympics.