No other place in the boxing world has produced more elite talent in recent years than San Antonio. SATX is putting out elite-level fighters and world champions at an alarming rate. Josh Franco, Bam Rodriguez, Hector Tanajara, Mario Barrios, and the list goes on. The great fighting city has perhaps found its next great one, 19-year-old, super bantamweight, Daniel Cortez is off to a sensational start. The 2-0 (1) prospect returns to the ring on November 18th on the Garcia Promotions card at the Tech Port Arena, a card headlined by RGBA stablemate and fellow Alamo City native Hector Tanajara.
The undefeated teenager already has a massive fan base in his home city and it's not something Cortez takes for granted, " it feels amazing that I have so much support in San Antonio, and it feels amazing that I have all these people cheering me on" Cortez explained. That crowd will be on hand when he looks to push his record to 3-0 on the 18th.
Cortez had a good but not sensational amateur career. It was good enough to capture the attention of one of boxing's premier trainers, Robert Garcia, "They've known about me since I was an amateur, they followed my amateur career, and they've always liked my style. I've had a pro-style since I was little." the undefeated San Antonian explained who has been a part of what is possibly the best boxing camp in the country since deciding to turn pro.
Cortez has been working with some of the best fighters in the world, including world champions Josh Franco and Bam Rodriguez, who helped him transition to living in southern California. "It's definitely a culture shock. It's a lot different than San Antonio, but I like it out here. It's good [having Bam and Josh in California with him] it's easier to transition having all the San Antonio people out here. It helped with the transition because they've been through it."
Franco and Bam have helped in multiple ways, in addition to helping the Texan acclimate to live in California they've helped him in his professional development. "Working with Josh and Bam it's great to have them right here beside me... I am doing the things they are doing and they're world champions." Cortez has worked as one of Franco's main sparring partners for his super flyweight unification fight with Kaz Ioka in Japan on 12/31. Cortez talked about sparring with the super flyweight champ "he's going to do great! He's looking like a beast! He's strong, he's sharp."
It was Cortez's pro-style that has him on the fast track and It was a style Cortez knew was more fitted for the professionals, as he explained. "I've always known my style was more fitted for the pros. I knew that early on, I knew that since I was little. I just had to fight that way [as an amature] now that I'm a pro, I feel good. The results have certainly reflected that. Cortez took on a rugged challenger Daniel Duenez, from Gonzalez, Texas, in his pro debut at the Freeman Coliseum on a Team Morones Boxing card. Cortez ripped violent shots on the inside, working left hooks and uppercuts straight up the middle that staggered an overmatched Duenez multiple times. Cortez described it " I hit him with two flush left hooks and he buckled, but he was still there. He was still standing. That's when I knew I was going to be in with a tough guy." Cortez carried the action and did a solid job of beating up on the game but overmatched opponent, but he got good work and took a lot from the experience." I really saw my power kick in my second fight at my actual weight class. That's when I really showed my power... The 8oz gloves was the big change for me hitting someone and getting hit with 8-oz gloves is different."
Next up for the undefeated super bantamweight was Edward Richardson at the Tech Port Arena. The experience and growth were noticeable as Cortez settled in and destroyed Richardson. Stopping him in three very one-sided rounds. "I was able to take more chances. I was more loose. I wanted to take a little bit more chances and was able to get him out in the third round."
Next up is November 18th, on a major card in front of his hometown, but there's no rush for the blue-chip prospect who is just focused on the process and getting better and learning his trade. He isn't yet thinking about fighting for world titles or too far down the road. "We just take one fight at a time. When it comes, it comes, we just want to focus on getting one guy out of there at a time. When my coaches know I'm on that level to fight bigger fights they'll let me know." That time will certainly come for Cortez, who is viewed as the future. There are a lot of expectations on the 19-year-old. Despite those lofty expectations he remains humbled and grounded "we're the new guys [along with "Panterita" Jesus Martinez] we're just training hard to get there, where Bam is at." Cortez explained.