Austin "The Dream" Dulay headlines bourbon and boxing series

Nashville’s Austin “The Dream” Dulay makes his ring return at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming, and Hotel in Oak Grove, KY on April 30. Dulay headlines in the Tri-Star Boxing main event of the latest installment of the Bourbon & Boxing series. The eight-bout card is presented by Love Blood Ink Custom Tattoo. Dulay, 14-3 (10 KOs), will meet Carlos Gaston Suarez in a six-round lightweight bout.

In Suarez, Dulay will be taking on an opponent with significant professional experience, having faced both Shakur Stevenson and Murodjon Akhmadaliev. However, Dulay is no stranger to meeting world class opposition. After his recent set-backs, Dulay finds himself on the comeback trail and determined to build himself back as a contender.

Dulay, 26, trains with his father Fred Dulay at SUCO Boxing Club in Hendersonville, TN. Before the professional ranks, he built up a strong amateur foundation going 127-11. Dulay, a southpaw, sees himself as a boxer-puncher who likes to counter his opponents. Although a fighter to the bone, Dulay has a good heart and can balance the important facets of his life.

“I’m able to do what I love,” Dulay stated. “I help the younger fighters coming up and, most importantly, I’m able to have my fiancé and daughter with me the majority of the day. They are my reason why and it keeps me hungry knowing that they are with me every step of the way through camp. I have to work hard for the big picture, not the here and now.”

Familial support is one aspect that keeps the lightweight boxer going. His experience is another, having shared the ring with several elite-class contenders with world title experience. It’s rare that a prospect will risk his resume against a peer or genuine contender so early in his career. Dulay has not chosen the easy road to ring glory.

“The [Jose] Gallegos fight was my best win because we had a specific game plan and we went out there and executed it despite breaking our hand in the third round,” Dulay recalled. “The Magdaleno fight definitely gave me experience. It was my first ten-round fight and it was a good fight all ten rounds. [Defeat] doesn’t mean you curl up and give in. We have to have back-up plans to our back-up plans and be able to adjust to each fight accordingly.”

Dulay enjoys the sport of boxing as both a spectator and student. If nothing else, boxing history has taught him that nearly all of the greats ones faced defeat and had to work themselves back into their past standings.

“I’ll watch any boxing; I love the sport,” Dulay shared. “As an amateur, I grew up watching Pacquiao and Gatti a lot. I watch Lomachenko and really any other southpaw I feel would be beneficial to take something from and use.”

All three of those boxing icons have faced the adversity of defeat and comeback to win at high levels of the sport. For Dulay, “The Dream” begins anew on April 30.

Join us on April 30 at Oak Grove Racing and Gaming Hotel at 777 Winner’s Way, Oak Grove, Kentucky. Doors open at 5:00 PM with the opening bell to go off at 6:00 PM. For tickets, go to WWW.TRISTARBOXING.COM .

This card will close out a busy month for Tri-Star Boxing as the company promoted shows in Murfreesboro, TN and Oak Grove, KY. The action won’t stop there though as Tri-Star Boxing has a solid line-up coming for the month of May. Keep your eyes open for more information on Tri-Star Boxing promotions on May 14 in Cleveland, TN and May 20 & 21 in Memphis, TN.