COMMONWEALTH Games gold medallist Sean McGoldrick is backing St Joseph’s stablemate Joe Cordina to go all the way at Rio 2016.

Cordina, who won his opening bout as a first-time Olympian on Saturday, faces Uzbekistan’s Hurshid Tojibaev on Tuesday for a place in the quarter-finals of the lightweight division.

McGoldrick and Cordina have become good friends during their time together in the GB Boxing set-up and while training at the St Joes.

And not only does McGoldrick, the 2010 Commonwealth bantamweight champion, feel his fellow 24-year-old has enough to beat Tojibaev, he reckons Cordina can strike gold in Brazil.

“Joe’s next opponent has a lot of experience and is an APB (AIBA Pro Boxing) champion, so he will fancy his chances,” said Newport’s McGoldrick.

“It will be another tough fight for Joe but he is in his element over three rounds and I’m backing him 100% to get the win.

“Joe is so talented himself and is in great shape for these Olympics, and I think he can go all the way and win gold – there is no reason why he can’t.

“He is very confident and he will feel that anyone who stands in his way is beatable.

“I think he will get to the medal stages at the very least and then anything can happen from there.

“Joe has got the right mindset, is really focused, and he has trained really hard to be where he is now.”

McGoldrick and Cordina have got to know each other well over the years, either while training together at St Joseph’s or in Sheffield under GB Boxing chief Rob McCracken.

Their time in the GB Boxing set-up has also seen them travel the world together to compete in major championships and take part in the World Series of Boxing.

“What you see is what you get with Joe,” added McGoldrick. “He is always joking and up for a laugh all the time – you’re never safe when Joe is around.

“But he is also really dedicated and focused on what he wants, and he pushes himself so much.”

If Cordina were to win gold then he would follow in the footsteps of Britain’s Dick McTaggart and American legend Oscar De La Hoya as an Olympic lightweight champion.

The Welshman didn’t have it all his own way against Charly Suarez of the Philippines on Saturday, but he came through in the end courtesy of a split decision.

“It was a good fight,” said McGoldrick.

“I thought Joe handled him well and when you fight on the international stage most fights are close. No-one goes to the Olympics to make up the numbers.

“Credit to Charly Suarez, he left everything in the ring and caught Joe with a couple of good shots.

“But even when Joe lost the second round I knew he would come back in the last. I actually thought he won every round.”