Watch: Dafydd Iwan performs stirring Yma O Hyd at Joe Cordina fight
This was the moment Dafydd Iwan accompanied by thousands of Welsh fight fans delivered a rousing version of Yma O Hyd to welcome Joe Cordina to the ring at the Cardiff International Arena last night.
And it certainly did the trick as the boxer regained the IBF super-featherweight title with a thrilling split decision win over Shavkat Rakhimov.
Cordina, 31, stripped of the belt due to injury last year, became the first Welsh boxer to become a two-time world champion
The fighter met Dafydd Iwan in Qatar at the World Cup in November where they were both following Wales and hatched the plan to have him perform at the boxer’s sold out world title bout.
“Joe Codina and his manager came onto me in Qatar and asked me if Dafydd wants to sing at the fight but me and Dafydd kept it quiet until the fight itself,” said Dave Driscoll from Arena Projects, the team behind the success of Yma O Hyd.
And it appeared the veteran performer couldn’t wait to get into the ring and perform for Joe and the Welsh public.
“I’m looking forward to performing for Joe as he enters the ring in front of thousands of Welsh boxing, football and sports fans,” Iwan said ahead of the fight.
“I am honoured to do this for a humble young polite man and to perform in front of millions of fight fans worldwide that will be tuning in.”
(Video credit: Dave Driscoll, Arena Projects)
Phenomenal to see Dafydd Iwan supporting @JoeCordina_91 as he fights to regain the IBF World super-featherweight championship 🥊
Cymru ar lwyfan y byd 🌍 Wales on the world stage.
Da iawn @dafyddiwan Yma o Hyd! 🏴
— Cymru Wales 🏴 (@Cym_Wal) April 22, 2023
🗣️ "It's a song of survival against all odds" @dafyddiwan on the meaning of Yma o Hyd ahead of @JoeCordina_91's ringwalk 🏴🐉 #RakhimovCordina pic.twitter.com/xXswIDaXUB
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) April 22, 2023
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Apparently according to “British” , in reality English media, the fight never happened,…as I haven’t seen anything on the fight. This is what happens when 1. The people of one nation Monopolise media within four nations, and 2. Some within that nation have an agenda to make children of the one of the others look as though they have no role models. Which means many will grow up looking elsewhere for them. We need our media and entertainment completely devolved!