Barboza defeats Sims by wide decision in Anaheim DAZN main event
Arnold Barboza Jr. v outpointed Kenneth Sims Jr.(22-3-1, 8 KOs) over 12 rounds Saturday night in Anaheim. The victory earned him the WBO Global welterweight belt. Judges scored the bout 120-108, 118-110, and 117-111.
Barboza controlled the fight behind the jab and his footwork, keeping Sims at the end of his punches for most of the night. He stepped around Sims’ pressure and placed straight rights and short combinations whenever the Chicago fighter edged into range.
Sims continued pushing forward and looked for counters, particularly the right hand, but he struggled to keep Barboza set in front of him long enough to build offense. Barboza kept the exchanges brief, touching Sims with the jab before stepping away and rebuilding the distance.
Barboza also battled through a head clash in the eleventh round before closing the fight with the cleaner punches during the final frame.
“That was a tough fight. I went through a little bit of a dark moment there, but I pushed through it. People were asking me before the fight, saying I had fallen off or that I wasn’t the same fighter anymore. But tonight I showed that I’m still here,” Barboza said.
“Fighting at 147 made a big difference for me. I’m telling you, I even had a steak on Tuesday , something I couldn’t normally do before. My body just felt stronger and more energized. Credit to my strength and conditioning coach and the work we’ve been putting in during training camp. I felt like I could have gone another 10 rounds if I had to.”
Barboza also credited the preparation for the tactical fight.
“Kenneth Sims is a very smart fighter. We expected it to be a chess match, and it was. But it came down to preparation. My dad and I put in a lot of hard work. We isolate ourselves in camp, away from family. I even missed my daughter’s birthday on the 10th. Those are sacrifices that come with the sport. Moments like tonight make it feel worth it.”
Sims acknowledged the defeat afterward.
“Yeah, the scores were crazy, but the score doesn’t matter now. I didn’t win the fight,” Sims said. “It’s cool though. I’m a 140-pounder, so I’ll go back to where I’m best at. I’ve got to get better. Get better, do better, be smarter.”
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Haro’s corner stopped the fight after the sixth round following sustained punishment.
Alexis Rocha Outpoints Joseph Diaz Jr.
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Judges returned scores of 97-93, 98-92, and 100-90 in Rocha’s favor.
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Fundora scored a knockdown in the fourth round before forcing the referee stoppage at 1:25 of the sixth.
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The stoppage came at 2:35 of the round.