Cordina (19-1, 9 KOs), The Ring's No. 10-rated lightweight, is scheduled to face No. 5-rated Mason (20-0, 17 KOs) for his WBO title headlining Cleveland's Wolstein Center on Independence Day.

Having racked up two victories since moving back up to 135 pounds, the Welshman has positioned himself as Mason's mandatory challenger and rebounded in the wake of his stoppage loss by Anthony Cacace in May 2024.

That was the first defeat of Cordina's professional career, costing him his IBF junior lightweight title at a time where he discussed an interest in challenging himself against the division's top names stateside.

Now he has the chance to become a two-weight world champion with a victory over Mason, who is the sport's youngest male world champion. Cordina, 12 years the Ohioan's senior at 34, believes timing is on his side against the fast-rising talent.

During this week’s episode of Inside The Ring, an honest Cordina said: "He's an up-and-coming fighter but a world champion, and he will go on to do great things.

"But I think if I'm to beat him, it's now, and I've got to get him now, before he gains the experience, his man power, man strength and all that sort of thing.

"I think if I waited another 18 months that might have been a very sticky situation for myself because I'm only getting a little bit older while he's going to be in his prime in a minute. That's when it will be very hard for anyone to beat him.”

Cordina will be Mason's second successive British opponent following the American southpaw's November 22 victory over Sam Noakes at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Maidstone, Kent native, who had never lost, produced a gutsy performance but could not prevent Mason from claiming the vacant WBO title via unanimous decision after 12 hard rounds.

But Cordina, a two-time world champion at 130 pounds, has warned Mason that he represents a different proposition entirely.

On Mason’s performance against Noakes, he said: "For me, he looked good. I don't think it was close, like a few people have been saying to me.

"Mason definitely won clearly by a few rounds but he was getting hit. No disrespect to him but I'm not Sam Noakes. I'm a lot faster, a lot smarter ... I'm not going to just plod forward, just try and bully him. I'm going to use my boxing brain."

"I haven't had 180-odd amateur fights and been to an Olympic Games and won a European medal, one of six people in Britain to ever do it, and then won two world titles within 16 fights… I haven't done all that without having a boxing brain and a good IQ and being an average fighter.

"A lot of people are writing me off, but I don't mind that. The pressure's on him. It's 4th of July, it's in his hometown, it's a homecoming and his first defense. I've just got to go out there, do everything I've trained for. I believe in myself, I know what sort of fighter I am and know what I can do.

"Listen, he's very young. He's had a lot of fights for his age but, based on the calibre he's been in with, he's inexperienced in that sense. You haven't been in the trenches. I don't believe that Sam Noakes fight was a fight that went to the trenches but I think I can take him there.”