On Friday, September 11th, BiYu Promotions and Shuan Boxing will bring a battle of undefeated welterweights to the Dominican Republic. The entire card will stream live worldwide on CombatVisionTV.com. At the top of the card, Feudri Franco (7-0, 6 KOs) and Junior Desir (7-0-1, 5 KOs) will meet in the scheduled eight-round bout. Franco has quickly earned a reputation as a dangerous puncher, stopping six of his first seven professional opponents. Desir, meanwhile, has plenty of power of his own and comes into the fight with the confidence of a man who has yet to experience defeat. There is no complicated storyline needed for this one. Two hungry, unbeaten fighters believe they are ready to move forward, and only one can leave with the victory. For Franco and Desir, this is the type of matchup that can reveal quite a bit about where each man stands.

 

The co-feature has a different feel. Junior middleweight Rafael Abreu (12-0, 11 KOs) takes a serious step up when he faces Fernando Montes de Oca (33-3, 20 KOs) in a scheduled ten-round showdown. Montes de Oca brings a level of experience that the young prospect hasn't encountered before. It is a genuine test for Abreu and, quite frankly, the kind of fight a prospect eventually has to take if he wants to find out how far he can go.

 

Another bout worth keeping an eye on will feature welterweight Pryce Sparrow (6-0, 4 KOs) against veteran Oliver Flores (31-7-3, 20 KOs) in a scheduled eight-round contest. Sparrow has made a strong start to his career, but Flores represents a noticeable jump in experience. The veteran has been around the sport long enough to understand how to make a young fighter uncomfortable, and that is exactly what makes this matchup interesting. Sparrow will have an opportunity to show that he's ready to move beyond prospect status and handle the challenges that come with facing seasoned opposition.

 

Junor middleweight Eliesel Rodriguez Ledesma (9-0-2, 8 KOs) will also have his hands full when he faces Jorge Santana (16-2, 9 KOs) in a scheduled eight-round bout. Ledesma's eight knockouts in nine victories tell their own story, but Santana brings enough experience and confidence to make this anything but a routine assignment.

 

Cruiserweights Starlyn Guzman (5-0, 5 KOs) and Jankelly Rodriguez Paulino (5-1, 5 KOs) will meet in a scheduled six-round bout that might be wise not to blink during. All 10 of their combined victories have ended by knockout, and neither man has built his reputation by playing it safe.

 

Featherweight Angel Rodriguez (5-0, 3 KOs) will look to keep his perfect record intact against Nayer Gonzalez Jimenez (3-1, 3 KOs) in a scheduled six-round contest. Jimenez has stopped all three opponents he has defeated, giving Rodriguez another meaningful test early in his career.

 

The international lineup will also feature Vivian Bianelis Rodriguez (9-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout against an opponent to be announced.

 

Miguel Angel Arias (7-0, 7 KOs) will put his perfect record and perfect knockout percentage on the line against Jose Manuel Perez (6-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-round junior middleweight contest. Arias has yet to hear the final bell as a professional, but Perez represents the type of opponent who will be looking to change the direction of that story.

 

Super bantamweight Jose De Los Santos (5-0, 4 KOs) will face by far the most experienced opponent of his young career when he takes on Eliezer Aquino (23-5-1, 16 KOs) in a scheduled eight-round bout. For De Los Santos, it is another example of a young fighter being asked to prove he's ready for more.

 

Yan Carlos Perez (8-1, 5 KOs) will battle Juan Alcantara Sanchez (12-10-2, 8 KOs) in an eight-round super bantamweight bout.

 

One of the more interesting fights on the undercard will see Carlos Johnson (3-0, 2 KOs) and Kermin Jimenez (3-0, 3 KOs) meet in a scheduled six-round welterweight contest. Both men are still early in their careers, but neither is being protected from a meaningful challenge. Someone will suffer his first professional defeat unless the bout ends in a draw.

 

In another super bantamweight attraction, Keuryn Alcantara (2-0, 1 KO) will have an opportunity to learn plenty when he faces veteran Wallington Orobio (20-15, 17 KOs) over six rounds. Orobio's experience and power should give the young Alcantara a good indication of where he stands at this stage of his development.

 

Yankiel Rivera Figueroa (7-1-1, 3 KOs) will meet Francisco Vargas Martinez (5-10, 3 KOs) in a scheduled six-round flyweight bout.

 

Experience takes center stage when veteran super featherweights Michael Chaise Nelson (23-4-1, 8 KOs) and Misael Vasquez (18-7-1, 16 KOs) meet over eight rounds.

 

Rounding out the card, undefeated Bryan Santos Mendez (2-0, 2 KOs) will look for his third professional victory when he faces Juan Carlos Constanza (0-2) in a six-round junior lightweight contest. Luis Rosario Villafane (16-1-1, 10 KOs) will also see action in a six-round super featherweight bout against Jose Rodriguez Lora (11-6, 10 KOs).

 

For BiYu Promotions president Bobby Harrison, the card is about more than simply filling a night with fights. He wants to create opportunities that actually mean something for the fighters involved. "We're really excited to work with Belgica Pena and Shuan Boxing and bring this event to the Dominican Republic live on CombatVisionTV," said Harrison. "What I like about this card is that these guys have something to prove. Franco and Desir are both unbeaten and neither one wants to give that up. Abreu is taking a real step up against an experienced fighter in Montes de Oca, and Sparrow is doing the same thing against Flores. You can feel the hunger with these young fighters, and that's what makes a card exciting."

 

Harrison understands that protecting a perfect record can be tempting, particularly for a young fighter. But he also believes careers are built when fighters are willing to find out just how good they really are. "At some point, you have to take that chance," Harrison continued. "You can't call yourself the best if you're not willing to fight guys who believe they can beat you. That's what I respect about these fighters. They're taking real fights. There are going to be some nerves, there's going to be pressure, and that's part of it. Those are the moments when you learn something about a fighter. We want to give them the platform, and then it's up to them to make the most of it."

 

For Belgica Pena, President of Shuan Boxing, bringing another international event to the Dominican Republic carries a personal sense of pride. The country has a long connection to boxing, and Pena believes nights like this can introduce more of its talent to fans outside the region. "Boxing means a lot to people here in the Dominican Republic," said Pena. "There are so many talented fighters who just need the right opportunity for people to see them. That's why I'm happy to be working with Bobby Harrison, BiYu Promotions and CombatVisionTV on this event. We have young fighters trying to build their names, unbeaten prospects taking risks and veterans who know every trick in the book. That's a fun combination for the fans."

 

Pena also sees the event as another chance to show international viewers what Dominican boxing has to offer. "We want people watching around the world to feel some of the energy that we feel here," Pena added. "These fighters are hungry. Their families, trainers and teams have sacrificed with them to get to this point. When they step into that ring, it means something. I think the fans are going to see that."

 

The September 11th card gives CombatVisionTV another opportunity to bring that energy directly to boxing fans around the world.