Photo via BBC Sport

Champion boxer Joe Cordina was 'retaliating' when he punched man to ground, court hears

Former world boxing champion Joe Cordina is facing assault charges after a violent confrontation at a Cardiff petrol station in late February, with prosecutors alleging he retaliated aggressively against Jamie O'Brien. The incident, captured on video and later shared online, began when O'Brien allegedly provoked Cordina by pushing him before the former champion punched him hard enough to knock him to the ground.

Police footage showed Cordina repeatedly striking O'Brien even after he was down, escalating the fight with a golf club before O'Brien lunged at him. Cordina’s legal team argued the altercation was a targeted attack, suggesting O'Brien and his family had been waiting for the opportunity to confront him.

A second assault charge against Cordina was dropped earlier this week, but the trial continues as investigators examine whether the confrontation was premeditated or a spontaneous reaction to perceived threats.

O'Brien’s sister reportedly told police her brother harbored resentment toward Cordina, raising questions about whether the fight was instigated. Cordina denied the charges, claiming he acted in self-defense after feeling threatened, though prosecutors dismissed this, stating he was retaliating rather than protecting himself.

The case hinges on conflicting accounts of who initiated the violence, with police admitting they failed to fully explore O'Brien’s sister’s claims of a vendetta against Cordina.

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