Zelfa Barrett Staying Sharp, Keeping an Eye on Joe Cordina-Anthony Cacace Outcome

Zelfa Barrett is back in the gym and making sure he is ready when the opportunity presents itself. 

Barrett, a junior lightweight contender, scored a 10th-round stoppage against Jordan Gill in April, accelerating through the gears and twice flooring the former European featherweight champion with body shots. 

The night felt like something of a breakthrough for the 30-year-old Barrett, who headlined his hometown venue (Manchester Arena) for the first time and scored a conclusive stoppage of a widely respected and – in some circles – favored opponent. The victory leaves Barrett on the brink of a world title fight.

“I came down from cloud nine a while ago. I’m back in the gym training as normal,” Barrett (31-2, 17 KOs) told BoxingScene. “I let my body heal and I had about a week off and then I was back in.

“I’m still working on certain shots and certain things. This is my job, so I’m gonna be as good as I can be.

“The best fighters are always in the gym. That’s me. Stay in there, soak it in. Some fighters box and you don’t see them for weeks, or they come in twice a week or something. Not me.”

This weekend, Barrett will be keeping a close eye on events in Saudi Arabia as IBF junior lightweight titleholder Joe Cordina is scheduled to put his belt on the line against 35-year-old IBO titlist Anthony Cacace.

Barrett was linked to a world title showdown with Cordina, but Cordina decided to move in a different direction. Should Barrett beat Belfast’s Cacace, the 32-year-old Cordina seems unlikely to call out Barrett. Instead Wales’ Cordina seems certain to either seek out a unification fight with one of the other 130-pound titleholders or return to the lightweight division. Still, Barrett, a boxing addict, has been breaking down the fight.

“I think Joe will beat him,” he said. “I think Cacace has been out of the ring for too long. Every time he’s had a fight, it’s ended up being canceled. That will play a big part. Getting ready in a camp and not fighting, then getting ready in another camp and not fighting. I just feel like Joe will beat him. He’s just better than him.

“Cacace is, what, 34 or 35? That could play a big role. I don’t know his lifestyle. I know somebody like Terence Crawford lives in the gym, so age doesn’t really matter to him. I don’t know how [Cacace]] lives, and he’s not fought regularly. He may be a natural fighter – that’s just my opinion.

“He’s a good boxer. He’s got long levers. If he’d been active, I think it would have been a tougher fight. But I just think Joe’s better and he’s been active more.

“I thought when Joe boxed the American guy [Edward Vazquez, whom Cordina beat by majority decision last November], he won the fight but looked a bit flat. I thought he didn’t look the same as against the others. Maybe he’s outgrown the weight. That could be the reason. He still looked good, don’t get me wrong, but he looked a bit one-paced. Let’s just see how he fights Cacace.”