Barboza relied on his jab and footwork to dominate the welterweight main event in Anaheim
Arnold Barboza Jr. (33-1, 11 KOs) defeated Kenneth Sims Jr. (22-3-1, 8 KOs) by unanimous decision in a 12-round welterweight main event Saturday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Judges scored the bout 117-111, 118-110, and 120-108.
Both fighters moved up from the junior welterweight division, but Barboza settled into the new weight quicker. He established his jab early, circled the ring, and kept Sims turning while placing straight rights and short combinations whenever the Chicago fighter stepped in.
Sims tried to close distance and looked for counters, especially with the right hand, but he struggled to keep Barboza in front of him long enough to build offense. Each time Sims edged forward, Barboza met him with quick punches and moved again before a follow-up could come.
The pace picked up slightly in the final round as both fighters traded more openly, but Barboza again landed the cleaner shots to close the fight.
“That was a tough fight. I went through a little bit of a dark moment there, but I pushed through it,” Barboza said after the bout. “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.
“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 acknowledged the tactical challenge Sims presented.
“Kenneth Sims is a very smart fighter. We expected it to be a chess match, and it was,” Barboza said. “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.”
Barboza said he wants a major name next at welterweight and mentioned Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Rolando “Rolly” Romero as possible opponents.
