BOXING ace Joe Cordina has revealed he is still mulling over whether to turn professional or stay in the amateur ranks after his Rio disappointment this summer.

The St Joseph’s star fell well short in his bid for a medal at his first Olympic Games in Brazil, losing to Uzbekistan’s Hurshid Tojibaev in the last 16 of the lightweight division.

Cordina, 24, knows many people are now expecting him to go pro but he could be tempted to remain in the GB Boxing set-up and go for gold at Tokyo 2020 instead.

If he does resist the temptation to join stablemates Lee and Andrew Selby in the professional game then he will also get the chance to compete at the next Commonwealth Games in 2018.

Cordina won bronze in Glasgow two years ago and would be a strong favourite to claim the top prize on Australia’s Gold Coast.

Speaking about his future, he said: “Obviously, a lot of people are expecting me to go pro but I’ve got to do what’s best for me.

“I know there is still a lot of learning for me because I only started boxing when I was 16 and I’ve come a long way in a short space of time.

“I’ve got to sit down and assess things, speak to my family and see what I want to do.

“At the moment I’m a GB boxer, a Welsh athlete and a British athlete.

“I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing and talk to my parents and girlfriend and then see where we go.”

Cordina admitted he “underestimated” just how big the Rio Olympics were going to be but is supremely confident that he could stand on the medal podium in Japan if he stays put.

“At an event as big as that it’s hard to get it right on the day because there is so much going on,” Cardiff-born Cordina added when reflecting on his disappointing Rio campaign.

“I said before I went that even though it was such a big stage I knew what I had to do and I wasn’t going to get sucked in, but it’s very hard not to because there is so much going on.

“I think I sort of underestimated how big the event was.

“I went to London (2012) as part of an amateur programme but actually being there for two weeks was massive, and to get everything perfect on the day is pretty much impossible.

“You’ve got to try and get it at least 90% right on the day when you’re fighting because one little slip-up can cost you a medal.”

He continued: “I was expected to do a lot better than I did. I was expected to bring back a medal.

“It killed me to see the two boys in the final because I had beaten them before.

“I know I’ve got a lot more to give and I know 100% that I can bring back a medal from an Olympic Games.”