Charly Suarez clashes with unbeaten Mexican in US

Charly Suarez (left) and Andres Cortes (right). | Facebook and Instagram photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Filipino super featherweight sensation Charly “King’s Warrior” Suarez is set for a pivotal showdown against Mexican-American standout Andres Cortes in a high-stakes bout on September 20 in Glendale, Arizona.

The fight, part of a Top Rank and ESPN-promoted card, marks Suarez’s third appearance in the United States following his impressive back-to-back fights in 2023 and early this year.

Suarez, who remains unbeaten with a record of 17-0 and nine knockouts, is coming from a dominant eight-round unanimous decision victory against Luis Coria. In August 2023, he made his US debut by beating Yohan Vasquez also by unanimous decision.

READ: Suarez beats Coria in Texas bout 

The former IBF Inter-Continental, IBO Inter-Continental, IBF Asia, and WBC Asian super featherweight champion, Suarez has also represented the Philippines as an Olympian.

He is currently ranked No. 5 by the IBF and No. 6 by the WBO and aims to cement his place among boxing’s elites.

READ: Suarez stakes unbeaten record in US debut on Aug. 26

FORMIDABLE CHALLENGE

His opponent, Andres Cortes, is a formidable challenge.

Undefeated in 22 fights with 12 knockouts, Cortes holds the No. 2 spot in the WBO super featherweight rankings. The 25-year-old recently captured the WBO NABO super featherweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Abraham Nova in Las Vegas.

READ: Suarez barges into WBO’s latest Jr. lightweight’s Top 10 world rankings

In a recent social media post, Suarez expressed his determination, gratitude, and faith in his preparation.

“Hard work, dedication, discipline, and faith in the Most High are my keys to victory. I’m honored to face a fellow warrior like Andres Cortes. Your prayers and support are the greatest gifts you can offer as I prepare for this battle. We fight not just with physical strength, but with our fight IQ and prayers, both in the ring and in everyday life. Thank you and God bless everyone!” he said.

Suarez and Cortes’ bout will be a highlight on the undercard of the main event featuring Jaime Munguia against Erik Bazinyan in a super middleweight clash.