Magsayo set to square off with undefeated American in comeback fight

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Filipino boxing superstar Mark Magsayo is ready to protect his five-fight winning streak against unbeaten American Andres Cortes on the undercard of the Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sept. 13, 2026.

Five months after his emphatic lightweight debut under his new promotional company, Zuffa Boxing, Magsayo has yet to return to the ring. The long wait will end after Dana White and Turki Alalshikh found a place for him on the undercard.

Standing in Magsayo’s way is one of today’s most intriguing boxing talents: the undefeated Cortes, who boasts a professional record of 25 wins, including 13 knockouts.

Known as a methodical pressure fighter who blends aggression with tremendous defense, Cortes is a different breed and cannot be taken lightly by the Magsayo camp.

Cortes is coming off a win over Eridson Garcia last April, showcasing his ring IQ with improved footwork and lateral defensive movement to evade hard shots upstairs.

Rather than rushing forward, Cortes displayed another weapon in his growing arsenal as he clinically dissected Garcia with jabs, deceptive left straights and a barrage of counterpunches that sealed his 25th consecutive win.

Magsayo, on the other hand, is coming off an explosive lightweight debut after scoring a fifth-round technical knockout victory over Ireland’s Feargal McCrory on April 6, 2026.

Magsayo’s masterful display earned him the “Performance of the Night” award and a monetary bonus from Zuffa Boxing.

Though undefeated at super featherweight, Magsayo had no trouble at the higher weight, dominating from start to finish.

Precise and calculated in his movement, Magsayo made it look like another day at the office, schooling McCrory from the opening bell.

McCrory’s corner entered the ring to stop the fight 21 seconds into the fifth round after Magsayo landed a vicious right hook and another three-punch combination.

Can Magsayo pull off another huge win and blemish Cortes’ undefeated record? Can his power overcome the American’s defense and in-fight tactical adjustments to extend his winning streak to six fights?