Sixth-ranked challenger Argi Cortes of Mexico said he is confident in beating a southpaw as he held a public workout at Teiken Boxing Gym on Sept. 13 in preparation for his fight with WBO super flyweight champion Junto Nakatani of M.T Boxing Gym for the latter’s title on Sept. 18 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.

  The 28-year-old Cortes said modestly, ‘’I want to nail him without fail if I have a chance, although I will not aim at a knockout victory in the first place. I am not a knockout puncher. But I earned KO victories twice in my three fights with left-handed opponents.’’

  Cortes, who kept his guard tight during the training at the gym, started boxing by sitting at the feet of legendary Mexican trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain. But according to trainer Eric Lopez, Beristain cannot come to Japan due partly to his old age (84 years old). Lopes said, ‘’Nakatani has power and technique in addition to speed.’’

  Cortes lost a close but unanimous decision to his fellow countryman and World Boxing Council super flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada last September and is therefore regarded as a serious opponent.

  Cortes said, ‘’I had very good experience through the fight (with Estrada). I want to utilize that experience in my upcoming fight.’’ It will be Cortes’ first crack a at a world title.

  The upcoming fight will be the 25-year-old Nakatani’s first defense of the title he captured in this past May in Las Vegas, Nevada as he won the vacant title by demolishing Andrew Moloney of Australia in the 12th and the final round.

Nakatani has 25 straight wins, including 19 KOs, while Cortes has a 25-3-2 win-loss-draw tally with 10 KOs.

  The title defense of WBC and World Boxing Association light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji of B.M.B. Boxing Gym against the WBC’s top-ranked Hekkie Budler of South Africa will also be included in the Sept. 18 event dubbed ‘’Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 5,’’ along with the highly touted eight-round super bantamweight bout between popular kickboxer-turned Tenshin Nasukawa of Teiken gym and Mexican bantamweight champion Luis Guzman.