Cora made his professional boxing debut in September 2000 with a 2nd round stoppage win over Mitchell Seigrist in Houston, Texas.
[2] In June 2004, Cora once again challenged old foe Michael Simms, this time for the vacant USBA cruiserweight title in Rosemont, Illinois.
He would defend the belt only once against Darnell Wilson in March 2006 before losing it in his first career defeat to Russian Vadim Tokarev in May of the same year.
[citation needed] Cora suffered his second career defeat to unbeaten former Olympian team-mate Matt Godfrey in his very next fight.
He fought twice more in 2010 beating Rubin Williams on 19 August and traveling to Manchester in England on 13 November to lose an eliminator contest for the IBF cruiserweight title to Enad Licina.