A pair of action-packed bouts will highlight live streaming action on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page this Saturday, December 17 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
The SHOWTIME BOXING COUNTDOWN show, hosted by award-winning MORNING KOMBAT live digital talk show hosts, Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell, starts at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will feature all action rising contender Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez battling veteran Austin Dulay in a 10-round super lightweight attraction, and unbeaten teenage prospect Elijah Garcia in an eight-round middleweight duel facing Cruse Stewart.
The live streaming presentation will precede a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT live on SHOWTIME headlined by rising undefeated lightweight contenders Michel “La Zarza Ali” Rivera and Frank “The Ghost” Martin clashing in an intriguing 12-round WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com.
The 23-year-old Juarez (13-1, 5 KOs) enters the ring propelled by momentum gained from his efforts inside and outside the ring. The only blemish on his record came from a narrow majority decision loss to All Rivera in a thrilling bout in June 2021. Since then, the former standout amateur has won his last two fights, most recently earning a 10-round decision victory over Ryan Karl in February. A native of Brownsville, Texas, Juarez has achieved recognition in his community by uplifting the state’s youth through motivational speaking, receiving commendations from the Texas State Senate and the Texas House of Representatives for his altruism.
Dulay (15-3, 11 KOs) will also step into the ring having won his most previous outing, as he scored a first round TKO of Anthony Michael Linenfelser in April. The 27-year-old had lost two of his previous three bouts, dropping bouts against veteran contender Diego Magdaleno in February 2020 and rising lightweight Jose Valenzuela in December 2021. Fighting out of his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, Dulay won his first 11 pro bouts, with his only other letdown coming against super featherweight contender Chris Colbert.
Fighting out of Phoenix, Arizona, Garcia (12-0, 10 KOs) will look to close out 2022 with his fourth victory of the year, having most recently knocked out Edgar Valenzuela in October to establish himself as a prospect to keep an eye on. The 19-year-old has moved fast since turning pro in 2020, knocking out his first six opponents and four of his last five. He will face the 33-year-old Stewart (8-1, 6 KOs), who was born in Illinois but now resides in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Stewart steps back into the ring after dropping a decision against the unbeaten Hakim Lopez in his previous bout in June.
The non-televised undercard will also include Cuban bantamweight Joahnys Argilagos (8-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round bout against Mario Hernandez (10-3-1, 3 KOs) and welterweight Kenneth Sims Jr. dueling Los Angeles-native Rock Myrthil in an eight-round showdown.
Rounding out the lineup is the pro debut of super bantamweight prospect Ray Robinson against Los Angeles-native Victor Saravia (1-3-1, 1 KO) over four-rounds of action, plus unbeaten super welterweight Bakhram Murtazaliev (20-0, 15 KOs) facing Mexico’s Roberto Valenzuela Jr. (20-3, 19 KOs) in an eight-round scrap.