FORMER World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo resumes his quest for a second world championship on Sept. 13 (Manila time), when he faces unbeaten American Andres “Savage” Cortes in a 10-round, non-title lightweight match at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Magsayo-Cortes fight will form part of the undercard of the highly-publicized showdown between WBC welterweight champ Ryan Garcia and British challenger Conor Benn.
Frustrated by stalled fights and an unclear path in his prior promotional setup, Magsayo debuted for Zuffa Boxing last April 5, when he stopped Ireland’s Feargal McCrory in five rounds.
Zuffa Boxing is a professional boxing promotion company founded by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) head honcho Dana White and Saudi Arabia General Entertainment Authority (GEA) chairman Turki Alalshikh.
The GEA is the one behind the lavish boxing cards staged under the Riyadh Season banner.
Under White, Zuffa Boxing is looking to apply the UFC’s centralized promotional model to pro boxing. This means coming up with its distinct weight divisions and championship belts.
White does not get along with the Alphabet Boys: the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF. White has come up with a championship belt exclusive for Zuffa boxers.
As far as the weight classes is concerned, Zuffa intends to trim down the sport’s bloated divisions. White plans to do away with the “junior” or the in-between weight classes.
Pro boxing used to have only 8 weight classes: flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight. No in-between “junior” weight classes.
White appears to lean on the traditional setup to make it easier for fans to identify the world champions. This explains why Magsayo, upon inking a deal with Zuffa, had to move up to the lightweight (135 lbs.) division.
Magsayo was supposed to figure in a WBC junior lightweight (or super featherweight) title eliminator opposite Michael Magnesi last February. A win would have guaranteed Magsayo a shot at the WBC crown. When Zuffa knocked on his door, Magsayo gave up the chase for the WBC title and moved up to lightweight pursuant to Zuffa’s rules.
Magsayo has yet to be really tested at the 135-pound or lightweight division, but this figures to change when he faces Cortes.
Like Magsayo, Cortes is moving up to the lightweight division in adherence to Zuffa’s rules. A native of North Las Vegas, Nevada, Cortes merited attention in the amateur ranks after he posted two victories over future lightweight champ Teofimo Lopez.
Cortes initially boxed for Top Rank Promotions as a pro before hooking it up with Zuffa. Overall, Cortes has amassed an unbeaten record of 25-0 with 13 knockouts.
Cortes, 29, is no stranger to fighting Filipinos.
In August 2021, Cortes needed just one round to batter and stop Genesis Servania. Servania was a former world title challenger and a stablemate of Magsayo at the Cebu-based ALA Boxing Promotions.
Three months after beating Servania, in November 2011, Cortes hammered Filipino prospect Mark Bernaldez in just three rounds in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Cortes hurt Bernaldez with a left hook and a right. Cortes was flailing away at Bernaldez when the referee stopped the fight. Bernaldez was hurt but it appeared the referee stepped in too soon.
Cortes now eyes the big upset of Magsayo.
Nicknamed “Savage,” Cortes is a pressure fighter who loves to slug it out on the inside. He throws vicious right uppercuts on the inside and some good left hands to the body.
Magsayo is not one to back away from a toe-to-toe slugfest. Unlike Bernaldez and Servania, Magsayo offers an impressive resume, one that includes a brief reign as WBC featherweight (126 lbs.) king in 2022.
Magsayo, 29-2 with 19 knockouts, has faced tougher opposition, too.
Magsayo’s list of marquee opponents includes Gary Russell Jr., Rey Vargas, and Brandon Figueroa.
Magsayo has never been knocked out in his career, the two losses coming by way of decision against Vargas and Figueroa.
Both Magsayo and Cortes are relatively new in the 135-pound division, but their clash figures to be action-packed. Cortes will bring the fight to Magsayo and the Filipino will look to return the favor with gusto.
Magsayo’s stamina will be tested to the hilt as Cortes is the type of fighter who loves to wear down foes with his pressure and voluminous punching. Cortes also knows how to work the body. Magsayo, though, appears to pack the more powerful punches.
Whichever way you put, Magsayo-Cortes has the making of a war of attrition.