Andres Cortes is an interested observer of O’Shaquie Foster’s second world title defense against Abraham Nova.
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, before the WBC super-featherweight title between Foster and Nova.
While the oddsmakers might have Nova as a sizable underdog, Cortes sees a way for him to win. The usually amped-up trash-talker was very reasonable in giving his take on the bout.
“I do think Nova could win that fight,” said Cortes. “I honestly do. It is going to be tough. Foster is a good fighter.
“I think it is going to be a closer fight than people think. I can see a way Foster wins and I see a way that Nova can win.”
The 26-year-old, who will head into his 21st pro fight with a record of 20-0, 11 KOs, will also share the stage once again with Nova. The two got into verbally in July as they fought in separate bouts. An interesting storyline of fight week will be to see if anything occurs at the press conference.
“At my last fight I had zero interest [in an Abraham Nova fight] to be honest, I didn’t even know he was going to be there,” Cortes told ProBox TV as the two bickered at their press conference. “He said a couple of lies, and me being who I am, I just had to say the truth.
Cortes will be the bout prior, as he faces Bryan Chevalier (21-1-1). It appears his goal is to stand out and fight in either a title eliminator or get a world title shot.
Being placed so high on the card, in a division that is rapidly changing, gives even more promise to the potential of that being fulfilled this year.
“I am not counting Nova out like everybody else is,” Cortes added. “Nova is pretty tall and long. Foster is what I would say is a counter-fighter. It just makes for a weird fight.”
