Joe Cordina Sent Kenichi Ogawa To The Shadow Realm With KO Of The Year, A Frightening Hook

Joe Cordina defeated Kenichi Ogawa to win the IBF super-featherweight title via knockout on Saturday night and it's being called the best of 2022.

The Welshman became his country's 13th world champion after a shock victory in Cardiff.

It was the 15th fight of Cordina's career and perhaps his toughest test yet, with Ogawa unbeaten in nearly 10 years.

Cordina entered to 'Delilah' by Tom Jones and there was a feeling of something special in the air. Within two rounds, we'd seen it unfold.

The experienced Ogawa was aggressive early on and looked to be settling into the contest.

Cordina then sent 'Crush Right' to the shadow realm with a sickening right hook he called the 'Roberto Duran', in tribute to the boxer of the same name who competed over five decades.

Everyone inside the Motorpoint Arena rose to their feet as Ogawa hit the canvas and a new star was born.

A video of the knockout has gone viral on social media and fans are completely stunned.

One commented: "You can't land a shot cleaner than that to win a world title."

Another said: "S**t the bed. It would knock a heavyweight out that."

A third tweeted: "I've never seen a punch laced with such malicious intent."

While someone summed it up with: "The ref could've counted to 20 he was deep in the shadow realm."

Promoter Eddie Hearn immediately rushed into the ring and looked delighted with Cordina.

The Matchroom Boxing head honcho took to Twitter and said: "WOW!!!! KO of the year or decade whatever you want to call it... and the new baby!"

Cordina has had a rough road to the top and spent the whole of 2020 on the shelf with injury.

He talked about the trials and tribulations he's faced in a post-fight interview and it all built to this moment.

"It is a lifetime of work gone into five and a half minutes of work. I'm just so thankful," Cordina said per BBC Sport.

"I've been throwing some big punches in this camp, I've been in with the likes of Conor Benn and sparred with him and he is one of the most explosive boxers. We've been working hard in the gym.

"We've been working on that punch all camp and it's an amazing feeling when you put hours and hours into it and it comes off in the fight and it's lights out."