Cortez to referee Vargas-De La Hoya

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Friday, Sept. 6, 2002 | 9:52 a.m.

Joe Cortez was named to referee the Sept. 14 junior middleweight title fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas at Mandalay Bay, the Nevada State Athletic Commission disclosed Thursday.

Cortez, of Las Vegas, drew the assignment for a prestigious fight that will have the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association 154-pound championships at stake.

Named as judges for the fight were three Nevadans: Paul Smith, Patricia Jarman-Manning and Doug Tucker.

"Both camps had complete input," NSAC executive director Marc Ratner said of the selection process, adding that representatives of De La Hoya and Vargas had the right to veto a nominee.