Valdez vs Stevenson: Andres Cortes looking to make a statement on undercard, targeting big names

Junior lightweight Andres Cortes is coming off of two straight good wins that have turned some heads, a first round knockout over Genesis Servania last August and a third round stoppage of Mark Bernaldez last November — and the 24-year-old Top Rank prospect is set to return this Saturday night on the Valdez vs Stevenson show.

Cortes (16-0, 9 KO) will be in against Alexis del Bosque (18-5-1, 9 KO), a 27-year-old Mexican fighter now based in Texas, who seems on paper to be at best a sideways step for Cortes in terms of the quality of opposition.

But at 6’0”, del Bosque will give Cortes some looks that fighters at these weights just don’t see often.

“I know he is tough, and durable. He hasn’t lost in six fights, and his last two losses were by split decision and majority decision,” Cortes said from training camp. “I know he isn’t coming to lay down and will be fighting with winning on his mind. He seems tricky and awkward, but nothing that I haven’t seen before. It’s going to be a great fight for the fans.”

Given that he’s expected to win and is confident of doing so, Cortes could understandably be looking ahead, but knows, too, that he’s the guy who can’t afford to do that and suffer an upset. He also knows that a win moves him forward and on to the next one, and he hopes to get a big name opponent soon.

“A win is a massive statement and a huge achievement at this point in my career. This is a card that a lot of people are not just watching but attending as well,” he said.

“The fact that so many people are looking at this card motivates me to put forth a world-class performance, as I know the arena will fill up early. A victory will put me in a great position to fight a big name, which is exactly what I’m looking for. I’m ready to take on all the top guys in the division.”

Bad Left Hook will have full live coverage for Valdez vs Stevenson, starting at 10 pm ET on Saturday, April 30, streaming live on ESPN+ and also airing on ESPN.