Hendri Cedeno’s fight this Saturday against Alfredo Santiago isn’t just a pairing of two junior welterweights from the Dominican Republic.
It pits two WBO-ranked boxers against each other with two regional WBO belts on the line. And it will be featured on the undercard of a show headlined by Subriel Matias defending his WBC 140lbs belt against Dalton Smith. The event is taking place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and streaming on PPV.com.
“This is the kind of fight I’ve been dreaming about since I first put on gloves,” Cedeno said in a press release. “Fighting at the Barclays Center, with two belts on the line, against a proven fighter like Santiago – it doesn’t get bigger than this. I’ve worked too hard and come too far to let this moment slip by. I’m ready to give everything I have and show the world who Hendri Cedeno really is.”
Cedeno, 16-0 (12 KOs), is a 27-year-old who now lives in Reading, Pennsylvania. He also competes in Team Combat League, where he’s gone 19-5 in his one-round bouts, which are tabulated as part of each fighter’s team scores. He fought 11 TCL rounds on seven dates in 2025, which helps explain why he otherwise had just one traditional boxing match last year. In April, he stopped the 13-3 Idalberto Umara after six rounds.
“Being undefeated means something, but more important is proving I belong with the best in the world – and this fight is my opportunity to do that,” Cedeno said.
Cedeno is ranked 10th by the WBO. He is signed with Boxlab Promotions and Kings Promotions
“Hendri Cedeno is one of the most promising fighters to come out of the Dominican Republic in recent years,” Amaury Piedra of Boxlab Promotions said in the press release. “He’s disciplined, explosive, and carries himself like a champion. This fight is a golden opportunity for him to elevate his name on the world stage. With two WBO titles on the line, a strong performance puts him right in the mix at the top of the division. We believe in him – and the fans will too, once they see what he can do.”
Santiago, 17-2 (8 KOs), is a 31-year-old who now lives in Puerto Rico. He is a former title challenger who was shut out when challenging Devin Haney for the WBC lightweight belt in 2019. Santiago suffered his second defeat in 2021, when he was stopped in the ninth round by the 21-3 Ricardo Nunez.
Santiago subsequently moved up to junior welterweight and has won four in a row since then, stopping the 20-1 Karl Dargan in the first round, outpointing Angel Fierro, disposing of Pedro Campa in the first round, and defeating Javier Fortuna via TKO after eight rounds. Santiago had been in the WBO’s No. 1 slot at 140lbs but is now No. 2, just after Keyshawn Davis.
“I have a lot of respect for Santiago,” Cedeno said. “He’s a strong fighter who’s shared the ring with elite competition, but I believe in my preparation and in my team.”
David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.
