WBA Super Featherweight Champion Roger Gutierrez forced to withdraw after positive COVID-19 test
Gutierrez out – Garcia in
Undefeated rising star Chris “Primetime” Colbert will now square off against unbeaten Dominican Olympian Hector Luis Garcia in a 12-round WBA Super Featherweight World Title Eliminator headlining live on SHOWTIME Saturday, February 26 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
The southpaw Garcia replaces WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Roger Gutierrez, who was forced to withdraw after a positive COVID-19 test. Colbert was named mandatory challenger by the WBA but will now have a further hurdle to overcome in his title bid.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast kicks off at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will feature another unbeaten young phenom in the co-main event. Gary Antuanne Russell, a 2016 U.S. Olympian, faces former world champion Viktor Postol in a 10-round super lightweight bout, while IBF Junior Bantamweight World Champion Jerwin Ancajas defends his title against unbeaten Argentine Fernando Martinez in the televised opener of the loaded tripleheader.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com.
Representing his native Brooklyn, N.Y., Colbert (16-0, 6 KOs) has quickly shot up the 130-pound rankings, taking on high-level competition in his first 16 pro fights. Already established as a fighter with dazzling boxing skills, Colbert showcased his ability to fight toe-to-toe with an 11th-round stoppage of Jaime Arboleda in December 2020 before most recently besting Tugstsogt Nyambayar in July 2021. The 25-year-old turned pro in 2015 and defeated three unbeaten fighters in his first eight contests. Prior to the Arboleda fight, Colbert scored a highlight-reel first-round knockout against Miguel Beltran Jr. in September 2019 and a dominant 12-round decision victory over former champion Jezzreel Corrales in January 2020.
Tall and rangy with good power in his left hand and a dedicated body attack, the 30-year-old Garcia (14-0, 10 KOs) scored the most impressive victory of his career in his last fight, when he defeated Isaac Avelar by unanimous decision in December 2021. The 5-9 Garcia, who sparred with Devin Haney and Rolly Romero for the Avelar win, represented his native San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic, in the 2016 Olympics before turning pro in December that year. Garcia is trained by the highly respected Ismael Salas, who has guided a long list of standouts, including Yordenis Ugás, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Nonito Donaire, and Jorge Linares. Garcia will be fighting for just the third time in the U.S. on February 26, having defeated Avelar in Minneapolis. He was zeroing in on facing a top contender in 2022. Now he will get his chance.
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