Argi Cortes was denied the opportunity to fight for an IBF title eliminator, but he could still wind up competing for that same belt by his next fight.
Cortes, a former world title challenger from Mexico City, picked up his third consecutive victory with a 10-round unanimous decision over Bairon Rodriguez on Saturday in his hometown. Scores were 98-92, 99-91 and 99-91 for Cortes in a TV Azteca/ESPN Knockout headliner from TV Azteca Studios.
The network housed the fight in its makeshift forum after three date changes, two location shifts and an opponent swap.
Cortes, 28-4-2 (11 KOs), was originally due to face Australia’s Andrew Moloney, 27-4 (17 KOs), in a sanctioned IBF 115lbs title eliminator on July 19 in Monterrey, Mexico. A three-week delay pushed the bout back to August 9 and forced its move to Durango, followed by another one-week postponement to this Saturday.
As previously reported by BoxingScene, Moloney – who had already been in Mexico for nearly a month – ultimately bailed on the fight when the decision was made to move the event to Mexico City. The concern for Team Moloney was less about heading to Cortes’ hometown than it was his fighting at a higher-altitude setting on such short notice.
The matter of principle is an honorable stance by Moloney, given the alarmingly high number of tragedies and fatalities the sport has endured just over the past few months. However, it will not only cost Moloney a chance to move within a win of a title fight, but it could also clear an open lane for Cortes to get his own shot straightaway.
BoxingScene has learned that the IBF is mulling how to handle its current mandatory status in the junior bantamweight division.
Willibaldo Garcia, 23-6-2 (13 KOs), won the title in a 12-round split decision victory over Rene Calixto in their May 23 rematch in Zacatecas, Mexico. Garcia, a 35-year-old Mexican banger from Copala, Guerrero, does not currently have a fight scheduled, as he was originally awaiting the outcome of the previously scheduled Cortes-Moloney eliminator.
There exists the scenario in which Cortes – who remains the highest-ranked IBF 115lbs contender – could be marched straight into a title shot given concern over the timing of having to schedule another eliminator. However, the IBF has not yet committed to any decision regarding the matter and plans to further review it in the coming days.
Cortes is 25-2-2 after sputtering out to a modest 2-2 start in what is now an 11-year pro career.
His lone two defeats in the past 10 years came at the highest level. Cortes dropped a narrow unanimous decision to then-lineal 115lbs king Juan Francisco Estrada in September 2022 in the champ’s Hermosillo hometown.
One year later, Junto Nakatani outpointed Cortes over 12 rounds to retain his WBO junior bantamweight title in Tokyo. The bout remains the lone time that Nakatani, 31-0 (24 KOs), was extended the distance in 10 title fights spanning three weight divisions.
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Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.
