Gabe Flores Jr and Joe Cordina both predicted an early night as they drew battle lines in an e-press conference ahead of their showdown at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California on Saturday December 13, live worldwide on DAZN. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FROM TICKETMASTER.COM Flores and Cordina meet in a critical clash for their respective careers with their co-main event battle serving as a final eliminator for the WBO World title at 135lbs, a belt that’s on the line when Abdullah Mason and Sam Noakes clash in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday November 22, live worldwide on DAZN PPV. Local star Flores (27-2 8 KOs) can land a first World title shot with victory on December 13, while Welshman Cordina (18-1 9 KOs) can secure a chance to become a two-weight World champion with victory – the stakes could not be higher for the pair, and they had plenty to say as they came face-to-face virtually in a head-to-head monitored by Matchroom’s Jamie Ward. FIGHTER QUOTES: Gabe Flores Jr. “I see a domination from my side. I feel great, I’ve had great sparring, and I don’t think it goes all 12 rounds. I’m just glad he signed the contract so we can get it on December 13.    “It’s another level up climbing the ranks. It feels good to be fighting back in Stockton, my best performances so far have been there, and I feel great, I can’t wait and each fight gets better and better for me.   “I just wanted this fight. I was excited and it sounded good, so I was looking forward to it, but it looked like it wasn’t going to happen as one point as they were sending me other opponents, so I was confused and disappointed, so I had to poke the bear to make sure it happened.   “I think it’s a great style to match up with and it’s going to bring the best out of me. Fighting a lot of the fighters that I’ve been fighting has been good, but when I have someone that is a good name, it’s going to bring me up and get the best of me.    “Joe is good, his resume speaks for itself, a two-time World champion and he’s technical and pretty sharp. A shoot-out suits me, I’d welcome that, that’s music to my ears. I can win World titles and move up and win more World titles, but right now the focus is on December 13 because that’s where I can prove how great a fighter I am.    “This is for my city. Growing up is tough there and there’s a lot of people that don’t have a lot of hope or belief to do something big. So, I am coming in to win my first World title and show that they can do it.”   Joe Cordina   “I don’t think it going all 12 rounds, but I’ve been wrong before. It could go to points, but I’m going to get the win, don’t worry about that. Just make sure you do your work, bro.    “This is going to get me back to where I believe I belong, at the top. I’ve watched Gabe a couple of times over the years, he’s a good fighter, and the better the opponent I’m with, the better I perform. I know what to expect, I know he’s tough and a good fighter, but so am I, so I’m looking forward to it.   “I’ve been to places where I have gone out of my comfort zone, and the fans can’t get in and fight for him nor for me, it’s just me and him.   “I’m not scared of Gabe or any man that has two hands and bleeds. I always thought that we would cross paths. If you look at the achievements and the resumes, and who has fought whom, I would be the a-side, but I don’t care about that, I’m coming for a fight.   “I know he’s a good fighter and he’s tough, but the step ups he’s had to that World level, he’s fallen short. That’s not saying he isn’t World level, just that he’s got in the ring with someone that he can’t compete with stylistically.    “It’s going to come down to the small percentages. I’ve been in the World title fights and I know what the pressures are like. This is an eliminator for the World title and I’ve done those 12 rounds plenty of times, and those extra couple of rounds is a big difference and are the rounds that will show on the night.   “I think it could come to a shoot-out, but I’ve been wrong before. I went into my last fight thinking this guy is 19-0 with 17 KOs and not gone the distance, and he’s coming for a Mexican shoot-out, but he started moving and boxing. So, this could be a shoot-out, or it could be an out and out boxing match. I’m ready for anything. I’ve been in fights where I’ve shown I can punch, I’ve shown that I can dog it out, and I’ve boxed people’s heads off, so I’ve done it all.”

Gabe Flores Jr will take on Joe Cordina for the WBO International Lightweight title at the Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, CA on Saturday December 13, live worldwide on DAZN.

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Flores (27-2 8 KOs) is on a six fight winning streak that’s seen the Stockton fan favorite climb to #4 in the WBO rankings, and a statement win over Cordina could see the 25 year old land a coveted World title shot in 2026. Flores’ unbeaten run started at the arena in which he takes on the Welshman in May 2023 and the latest wins came this year with a pair of ten round triumphs in Jamestown, CA to solidify his position in the 135lb division.

Cordina (18-1 9 KOs) is hunting a shot at becoming a two-weight World ruler, and the former IBF 130lb king is handsomely placed in the WBO rankings at #6 and the Welsh Wizard can take a big step towards his two-weight dream with victory on hostile territory in Stockton.

Flores and Cordina’s clash is part of a stacked night of action in Stockton, headlined by LA’s Super-Middleweight sensation Diego Pacheco taking on Kevin Lele Sodjo. Pacheco (24-0 18 KOs) is well placed with the governing bodies as the #3 ranked fighter at 168lbs with the WBO, and sits pretty at #8 with the WBC and #9 with the WBA. The South Central man is gunning for a shot at the World titles in 2026 that are now held by undisputed champion Terence Crawford following his win over Canelo Alvarez in September, but faces the stiffest test of his blossoming career to date in Sadjo (26-0 23 KOs) the unbeaten Cameroonian-Frenchman with a fearsome looking KO ratio that sees him hunting down his own World title shot with lofty rankings in the WBO (#8) and WBC (#10).

Another Californian star hunting World title action in 2026 is Pomona’s Ernesto ‘Tito’ Mercado, who takes on Antonio Moran for the WBO International Super-Lightweight title. 

Mercado (17-0 16 KOs) has had to wait for his second bout under promoter Eddie Hearn after an injury ruled him out of a fight in New York in June. Now fully recovered, the 23 year old will look to extend his KO winning streak to seven fights as he continues to make the big names at 140lbs stand up and take notice, with the sixth KO in that run coming with a demolition job on former World champion Jose Pedraza in Las Vegas in January. Standing in his way is Mexican Moran (31-7-1 21 KOs) who makes the first defense of the International title he won in April in his first fight at the weight and as the away fighter in Philadelphia where he handed Mykquan Williams his first pro defeat.

Skye Nicolson returns to action and starts her hunt to become a two-weight World champion by taking on Yuliahn Luna for the WBC interim World Super-Bantamweight title. Nicolson (14-1 3 KOs) moved down to 122lbs in July and in her second outing at the weight in Brisbane, stopped Urvashi Singh in the second round to claim the IBF International title. The Australian, who previously reigned as the WBC champion at Featherweight, can move into pole position to meet unified Super-Bantamweight ruler Ellie Scotney in 2026, first needs to see off former two-weight champion Luna (28-4-1 4 KOs) who herself is looking to conquer the world again having previously held the WBC strap at Bantamweight and IBF title at Super-Bantamweight.

The fourth title fight announced on the card sees Arturo Cardenas defend his WBC Continental Americas Super-Bantamweight title in an all-Mexican showdown against Cesar Vaca. Cardenas (16-0-1 9 KOs) landed the vacant title in Oaxaca in February 2024 and has defended it twice since in Phoenix and Los Angeles, and puts it on the line for a third time in his second action in 2025 after an eight round outing in Atlantic City in April. Vaca (19-2-1 12 KOs) steps through the ropes for the third time this year and in a third different country, having won the WBC FECARBOX Bantamweight title in Guadalajara in February before going to Australia to take Sam Goodman the distance over ten in Sydney in May.

QUOTES

GABE FLORES JR.

“I’m fired up and ready to put on my best performance of my career in front of my hometown Stockton, CA with Matchroom Boxing.”

JOE CORDINA

“He talks the talk, let’s see if he can walk the walk. I’m excited to go over to America, make a statement and remind people that I’m not going anywhere.”

TITO MERCADO

“You’ve been waiting and now it’s time – you better load up on your Team Mercado stock now cause I plan on stealing the show in Stockton! It’s going to be an entertaining but short fight so make sure you’re there early to watch me tuck Moran in for a good night’s sleep.”

SKYE NICOLSON

“This is a big, big fight and I feel more ready than ever. My career weighs on this fight and it’s going to bring out the best in me. My opponent is highly avoided for a reason, she’s a seasoned pro, former two-weight world champion with a very good boxing IQ. 

“But she hasn’t faced anyone like me and on December 13 I’m going to show the world there’s a new girl on the block at 122lb, I’m a different beast here and it’s going to show. Winning this fight will make me mandatory for the WBC gold and an opportunity to be in a super fight with the current unified champion, Ellie Scotney.”

YULIAHN LUNA

“My story continues on December 13 in California and I will return home to Mexico as interim World champion by the hand of God!”

EDDIE HEARN

“We are ending our year in America with a bang with an incredible card in our first fight night in Stockton, CA.

“The main event pits two undefeated massive punchers at Super-Middleweight in Diego and Kevin. We believe Diego is the next king at 168lb and this is going to be a real test of that, with Kevin desperate to take this opportunity to prove he is ready for the biggest names – it promises to be an explosive headliner.

“Gabe’s clash with Joe is a cracker. We know that Gabe is a massive draw in Stockton and the crowd are in for a treat as this is going to be a great fight. Gabe is on a hot streak and credit to him for seeking out a fight with Joe, who is one of the best fighters Britain has produced in recent times, and the Welshman is out to prove that he still has plenty to give as he aims to win a World title at a second weight in 2026.

“Tito wants all the smoke at 140lbs and is champing at the bit to get back in the ring and he’s itching to take on the big-guns. Victory over Antonio would put him right in line to do just that, so this is a big fight for Tito with the Super-Lightweight division on notice. 

“Everyone loves an all-Mexican war, which is just what Arturo and Cesar will deliver on December 13 – we can’t wait to be in Stockton to deliver a brilliant night for the fans there and watching on DAZN.”