Brian Peters Boxing: WBA Champ Cordoba Relishes Dunne Clash March 21

World Champion Ricardo “El Maestrito” Cordoba says he doesn’t want to set eyes on Bernard Dunne again until they get in the ring.

The Panamanian is currently in Ireland to promote his WBA Super Bantamweight title defence on the Hunky Dorys World Title Fight Night at The O2, Dublin on Saturday, March 21.

However, the champ is adamant that he’s not disrespecting Dunne, it’s just that he doesn’t worry too much about any of his opponents prior to fight night.

“I know his name and record and I’m told that he’s a good technical boxer and that’s all I need to know for now,” said the champion who has compiled a record of 34-1-2 (21) since turning pro back in 2000. “I don’t even watch videos of my opponents. It’s not a sign of disrespect, I just prefer to assess them when the bell goes for the first round.”

The champion says that this should not be taken as any sign of over confidence on his behalf. “I am treating this as the biggest fight of my career. I only won the world title in September and this is my first defence so there is no way that I am taking this fight lightly.

“I want to be World Champion for a very long time and prove to the world that I am a great fighter so I can’t allow somebody like Bernard Dunne to get in my way.”

Cordoba has no worries about fighting away from home despite being the victim of some biased judging on away trips in the past. “I’m a World Champion now, so what’s the point in staying at home defending my title? A true World Champ defends his title all over the world and that’s what I plan to do. I’ve had some bad decisions before in Thailand and German,y but I’m confident that I will retain my title either by knockout or a clear points win.”

An excellent amateur, Cordoba was a five time Panamanian champion and compiled an impressive record of 133 wins from his 147 outings in the unpaid code. However, he turned professional aged just 16 after being over looked for the national team.

“There is a lot of politics in amateur boxing and I got tired of that so I decided to turn professional because my dream was to become a world champion.”

Cordoba quickly racked up 25 straight wins including a win fellow world champ and compatriot, Celestino Caballero, when he was still only 20 year of age.

Recalling their fight for the Panamanian Super Bantamweight title Cordoba said, “I was really only a bantamweight then and still very young. Caballero was 27 and already a world rated super bantamweight, but I won easily on all the judges cards and floored him in the 11th round.

“Now that he is also a world champ people are talking about a rematch but I think I’d win even easier next time. I’m a lot more experienced now and I’ve grown into the weight so I don’t think he’d be able to handle my power if it ever happens but it would be a good fight for the Panamanian fans.”

Cordoba’s first defeat came in controversial circumstances in Thailand when he lost out on a split decision to local fighter Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym for the WBA bantamweight title.

The sole non-Asian judge awarded Cordoba the fight by seven points but the other two judges sided with the local fighter leaving Cordoba with a bitter taste in his mouth and the first and only defeat on his record.

The same title was to elude him twice more in 2006 and 2007 when he drew with German based Ukrainian Wladimir Sidorenko in Germany on both occasions.

Cordoba shrugged off all three setbacks but his promoter Richard Dobal admits that the politics of boxing has cost his man dearly. “When you travel to places like Thailand and Germany you know that sometimes you have to knock the other guy out to get a draw,” said Dobal.

“Other than the judges who scored against Ricardo in all those fights I’ve yet to find anyone who didn’t think he won them clearly so to my mind he’s still pretty much an undefeated fighter. However those setbacks made him even more determined to win a world title and now that he’s won the title I don’t see him giving it up for a long, long, time.

However there is a precedent for an Irishman beating a Panamanian in a WBA World title fight. In 1985 Barry McGuigan captured the famous belt and the hearts of a nation when he dethroned long reigning World featherweight champ, Eusebio Pedroza.

Cordoba though is insisting that history will not repeat itself. “Pedroza was a great fighter and a hero of mine and he has given me advice in the past but Eusebio Pedroza was Eusebio Pedroza, Ricardo Cordoba is Ricardo Cordoba. They are two different fighters in two different eras. This is my time now. Winning the World title was the greatest moment of my life and I want to keep winning so that I can be a hero in Panama just like Pedroza was.”

Tickets for the Hunky Dorys World Title Fight Night are priced from €50 and are available now from Ticketmaster (phone 0818 719 300 or visit ticketmaster.ie). Tickets are also available from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.