Another blow was dealt to the Subriel Matias-Dalton Smith show this weekend.
BoxingScene has confirmed that the Hendri Cedeno-Alfredo Santiago clash will no longer move forward. The scheduled 10-round co-feature took a hit when Dominican Republic’s Cedeno, 16-0 (12 KOs), was not medically cleared by the New York State Athletic Commission.
News of the fallout was first reported by ”The Broadway Joel Podcast,” the voice of Dominican Boxing.
Two sources familiar with the situation informed BoxingScene that the issue was related to Cedeno’s eye exam. The matter went unresolved, thus forcing the unbeaten junior welterweight Cedeno off the show. The timing left event handlers unable to secure a new opponent for Santiago, 17-2 (8 KOs), a transplanted Dominican who lives in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.
Saturday’s card – which airs live on PPV.com from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York – is now down to six fights. As previously reported by BoxingScene, one of the bouts involves a late replacement. Tijuana’s Victor Efrain Sandoval, 38-5 (24 KOs), was subbed in to face Jeyvier Cintron, 13-1 (6 KOs), after Mexico’s Jonathan Gonzalez, 25-2-1 (17 KOs), was unable to obtain a P-1A visa in time to fight in the US.
The previously scheduled 10-round bantamweight contest between Sandoval and Gonzalez was due to serve in support of Matias-Smith.
Headlining the card, Puerto Rico’s Matias, 23-2 (22 KOs), will risk his WBC 140lbs title against Sheffield’s Smith, 18-0 (13 KOs), the mandatory and first-time title challenger. Matias – a former IBF 140lbs titlist will attempt the first defense of the belt he claimed in a hard-fought 12-round decision win over unbeaten Alberto Puello last July in Queens, New York.
