Jose Celaya on Showtime Tonight

Cortes has the power!
February 1, 2008
By Marc Lichtenfeld

Jr. middleweight prospect Ricardo Cortes (22-1-1, 15 KOs) would rather be going head to head with David Beckham on a Major League Soccer field than mano y mano with Alfredo Angulo at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, MN in tonight's ShoBox main event.
Angulo (11-0 8 KOs) has been featured on Showtime's ShoBox several times before - each time blowing out his opponent. The former Mexican brawler has won his last seven by knockout, all within four rounds.

But don't confuse Cortes' love of soccer with being afraid of swapping leather, even with a formidable power puncher like Angulo. While most in the boxing community believe Cortes should use his three inch height and four inch reach advantage to box the hard charging Angulo, those who've seen Cortes before expect him to meet Angulo in the center of the ring.
Cortes is fueling that expectation. "I'm going to match his power with my power," says the former high school soccer star.
And there should be plenty of power in his punches. His first twenty-one fights were fought at super middleweight or above, where he amassed fourteen knockouts in nineteen wins. However, in his past three bouts he has weighed 160 pounds twice and 156 in his last fight in November, when he stopped Joseph Onyango in two rounds.

"At 154 pounds, I'll have the natural advantage in body weight as well as height and reach," says Cortes regarding the decision to move down in weight class. He states that under the tutelage of new trainer Joel Diaz, he doesn't have to starve himself to make the lower weight. "I don't have to suffer. I can still eat well and train hard," the twenty-eight year old declares.
Though Angulo has only eleven fights on his ledger, the former Olympian is a step up in class for Cortes. The only recognizable name on his resume is Fernando Zuniga, who Cortes beat on a disqualification in September of last year.
Angulo, for his part, also hasn't fought much top competition, although he annihilated former prospect Archak TerMerleksitian on ShoBox last November.

Cortes, who is married with a two year old son, got his start in the sweet science thanks to his beloved soccer.
There was a boxing program at his school to help curb gang activity. Cortes would watch the outdoor workouts from the soccer field. After noticing the kid who was always peering at the fighters, the boxing coach asked Ricardo if he'd like to try it. He did and thirty-five fights later he had won three Northern California Golden Gloves titles as well as several other regional championships.

Other than his third pro bout which took place in Reno, all of Cortes' fights have been in his home state of California. Angulo certainly can't call Minnesota his hometown, but the card is being put on by Angulo's promoter Gary Shaw.

None of that fazes Cortes, who is promoted by Goossen Tutor.
"I know I'm ready," states the confident San Jose native. "I'm in great shape and had an excellent camp."

Considering his 68% knockout ratio, no doubt Beckham and company are glad they don't have to face Ricardo Cortes on the pitch. After Friday night, he hopes Angulo will wish Cortes had stuck with soccer.