LAS VEGAS – Junior lightweight contender Andres Cortes' dream of fighting for a world title is one phone call away. When the phone rings, Cortes hopes it is for the headliner and WBO junior lightweight titleholder Emanuel Navarrete.

Cortes returns May 10 to face Salvador Jimenez in a 10-round bout at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.

Cortes, 22-0 (12 KOs), is a Las Vegas native who trains year-round at the Top Rank Gym. Cortes, 27, has faced tough opposition in the past three years. The opponents he has faced have had a combined record of 98-9-2. 

 “In my mind and realistically, I am just one call away from a title fight,” Cortes told BoxingScene. “I'm just staying patient and waiting for a big opportunity.”

Cortes is keen on facing Navarrete, 30-2-1 (32 KOs). Navarrete, a 30-year-old from San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico, faces Filipino challenger Charly Suarez, 18-0 (10 KOs), in the main event. Cortes knows the 36-year-old Suarez well; they were scheduled to fight in September before the bout was canceled. 

“I really want that Navarrete fight,” Cortes said. “We should have been doing that fight instead of the guy he's fighting now. I would have been willing to go toe to toe with him for 12 rounds, and I think that's what the fans want to see.”

Cortes is ranked No. 5 by the WBO and No. 9 by the WBC. Cortes last fought in June, winning a close fight over Abraham Nova. Cortes faced some criticism for that performance, with some disagreeing with the unanimous decision in his favor.

 “There's always going to be those tough fights and at the end of the day, you just have to win, and there's always room for improvement,” Cortes said. “I had a lot of stuff I was dealing with before that fight. A lot of people don't even know that. It wasn't one of my best performances.”

When asked about whether his layoff will impact him, he brushed it off citing a passion for video games, sarcastically saying, “I've been playing a lot of Fight Night, a lot of UFC 5, so I think my reflex is gonna be there.”

Spain’s Jimenez enters the bout coming off his professional loss to Ryan Garner in March. Jimenez, 14-1-1 (6 KOs), will fight in the United States for the first time. Jimenez, 29, had fought exclusively in Spain up until that fight in the United Kingdom. 

 "If you're going to judge me based on that one fight, I think that's a big mistake for any upcoming opponents, or just any upcoming people wanting to make a fight with me,” Cortes said. 

Cortes' hopes and ambitions in the sport are simple. He wants to fight for a title. Cortes explained his motivations and how he stays focused in his current position of fending off contenders while awaiting a shot at a title. 

 “I love what I do,” Cortes said. “ I feel like I'm always motivated because I feel like this is a blessing already for being able to do what I love.” 

When asked what to expect of his performance, Cortes didn’t hold back. 

“Expect a good ass whooping,” Cortes said. “And I am coming for that ass Navarrete.”