Andres Cortes Pushing to Fight the Winner of Navarrete vs Valdez
Undefeated junior lightweight Andres Cortes (20-0, 11 KOs) sees himself as someone on the precipice of doing big things in boxing. The 26-year-old thinks that a world title shot is in the not-too-distant future.
KNOWING WHAT HE WANTS
The native of Las Vegas, Nevada is coming off a seventh-round stoppage over Xavier Martinez on July 28. Cortes had some rough moments against Martinez but felt he did a sufficient job on his opponent and accomplished the mission of shutting down any skeptics.
Following the victory over Martinez, Cortes spoke with FightHype.com and said he would love for his next fight to be against the winner of the August 12 battle between WBO junior lightweight champion Emanuel Navarrete (37-1, 30 KOs) and two-division world champion Oscar Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs).
“I think that it’s a true 50/50 fight. I do want the better man . . . I’m fresh, I feel good. So, I’m ready whenever, and I told Top Rank that I’m ready whenever, what’s next?”
“Navarrete is fresher. I think that he hits harder. He’s a lot more awkward . . . I would like that fight. I think that Valdez is a bit easier. He’s getting a little older. Whoever is the better man, that night.”
TOO MUCH, TOO SOON?
Cortes is not ranked by any of the four major sanctioning bodies. Naturally, there are those in the boxing community who think Cortes is biting off more than he can chew here. The win over Martinez was just his second scheduled ten-round bout.
However, Cortes is a talented fighter, and Top Rank thinks highly of him. You could have a scenario where the winner of Navarrete and Valdez would face Cortes in a voluntary title defense either later this year or early in 2024.
One thing is clear – Cortez is full of unbridled confidence. He has no doubt he’s ready for that kind of assignment and what would be a clear step up in class.
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