Joe Cordina says his next fight will be his last at super-featherweight unless he can seal a unification bout.
The undefeated Welshman will defend his world IBF super-featherweight title in Saudi Arabia against Anthony Cacace on the undercard of the Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight clash.
Cordina, 32, was scheduled to fight earlier this month until injury to Fury saw the bill postponed until 18 May.
“It’s tough when a fight falls through… It was a nightmare,” Cordina said.
“I am plodding along… Obviously, I am disappointed my fight in Saudi was called off due to Tyson Fury’s injury,” he added.
“I am trying to keep busy and keep my mind occupied and stop myself from veering off and eating rubbish.
“It’s a bit of a kick in the shins. Now I have to do a horrible camp again. I’ve already done a camp.
“This was a good one, the best sparring and now we have to reset and go again.”
Cordina, who won the IBF world title for the second time with a split-decision win over Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in Cardiff last April, retained his belt in Monte Carlo in November with a majority decision win over Edward Vazquez.
The decorated amateur, who is 17-0 as a professional, has been vocal in the past about his desire to chase the biggest fights and, while he respects 35-year old Cacace, he insists he will be looking to move up to lightweight if he cannot box in a unification contest.
“Anthony Cacace is a bit of a frustrating fight for me, even though I am getting paid very well,” he said on BBC Radio Wales Sport.
“Cacace is a good fight – but it’s not the fight people probably wanted or expected.
“But I am grateful to be in a position where I’ll be on a massive show, one of the biggest in history.
“I was chasing the other title holders but it hasn’t happened yet.
“The thing is for me, if I can’t get a unification fight in my next fight, I will look to go up a weight.
“I am not getting any younger and the big money fights are at the weight above me.
“Cacace is a great fighter but if I beat him and don’t get a unification fight… I don’t want to just keep defending my title.”
Texan O’Shaquie Foster, who edged out Abraham Nova to retain the WBC super-featherweight title on Saturday at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, is one of the fighters who has indicated a willingness to clash with Cordina with both their titles on the line.
However, Cordina says he does not expect a fight with the 30-year-old to materialise due to his excessive demands.
“O’Shaquie Foster keeps calling me out but the mad thing is, it was in his hands,” he added.
“I talked to my promoter Eddie [Hearn] and he told me that when they did make an offer to him to fight me, he was asking for silly, silly money.
“The guy couldn’t sell out his hometown. He’s just fought in Madison Square Garden in the small bit.
“Even if I went over there, he can’t fill anything. I mentioned him in America when I was over there and even Americans didn’t know who he was.
“He’s irrelevant but he’s got a belt.
“It seems like it will be too hard work to deal with him… There are other champions out there.”
