A 10-round lightweight bout between former WBC featherweight world champion Mark Magsayo and unbeaten Andres “Savage” Cortes has been pegged as the broadcast opener for Zuffa Boxing’s Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn welterweight showdown on Saturday, September 12, live on Paramount+ from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Garcia-Benn will be available in the UK and Ireland on DAZN PPV.
Magsayo, 29-2 (19 KOs), and Cortes, 25-0 (13 KOs), join an undercard that also features cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia facing two-time world champion Noel Mikaelian in the 12-round co-main event.
Magsayo, who captured the WBC featherweight title in January 2022 with a majority decision over Gary Russell Jnr, has won five straight bouts since moving up to lightweight in 2023. He was last seen stopping Northern Ireland’s Feargal McCrory in five rounds at the Zuffa Boxing 05 event in April.
Incidentally, Las Vegas’ 29-year-old undefeated Cortes headlined Zuffa Boxing 05, scoring a unanimous decision over once-beaten Dominican prospect Eridson Garcia.
Magsayo-McCrory was the co-main event.
“I’ve waited for a night like this my whole career,” said Magsayo. “I signed with Zuffa to be on the biggest shows. Andres Cortes called me out, and I answered. He won’t have his ‘0’ after I get done with him.”
“This is my opportunity to show the world what I can do,” said Cortes. “I’m going to destroy Mark Magsayo on September 12. Growing up in the gyms in Las Vegas, I dreamed of fighting on a platform like this in front of my people. The time has come.”
