Cortes will face Bryan Chevalier in a super-featherweight fight on Friday, February 16 at Madison Square Garden Theater, as part of the ESPN telecast.
The Las Vegas resident, with a record 20-0 (11 KOs), is looking for his big moment of glory. Boxing often sees father-son relationships, and recently there was a new wrinkle with the grandfather-grandson relationship between Shakur Stevenson and Wali Moses, and of course there was Micky Ward and half-brother Dicky Eklund.
“We were both fighters,” Andres Cortes told ProBox TV. “He just decided to stop boxing, but still wanted to be involved in boxing, if that makes sense.
“I didn’t have a coach at the time. We just somehow made it happen. It has been working for us. I haven’t lost a fight."
Cortes is in the co-feature for his second straight fight. He won via a technical knockout over Xavier Martinez in July on a Seniesa Estrada undercard. Now he will face Chevalier (20-1-1), who is unbeaten in six-and-a-half years. He is four inches taller than Cortes with a three inch reach advantage. Chevalier also holds an 80 percent knockout ratio.
With wins over James Wilkins and Cesar Juarez, Chevalier has established himself as a top operator in the super-featherweight division.
“You can’t fix what isn’t broken,” Cortes said, of training with his brother.
“I do lead a very different life than my brother,” he added, with a chuckle. “We get along well. Life just made it happen [for him to be my coach].”
Cortes wants it to be known that he is looking for a legacy, whether it is furthering his family's legacy, or being a name in the history books. Cortes is consumed by greatness. He wants to be a world champion and everything else is secondary.
“At this current time, I just want to be a world champion,” he said. “And I know it is very soon to come. That is all that my goals are set for, as far as money and all that... The money comes with the sport, so I am not worried about it. I am just really chasing these titles."
