Barboza Jr vs Sims Jr: It won’t be pretty, but that’s how Barboza wins

Former world title challenger Arnold Barboza Jr looks to rebuild on Saturday, March 14 as he faces Kenneth Sims Jr. The fight headlines at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California with DAZN screening the welterweight contest live.

Read on for my Barboza vs Sims Jr predictions ahead of this blockbuster bout.

Barboza Jr vs Sims Jr Odds

Barboza is your narrow underdog at 13/10 while Sims is favoured at 4/6. The draw, always a possibility when two technically-minded boxers meet, is 11/1.

Barboza Jr vs Sims Jr Fight Preview

This is something of a comeback fight for both of these men. While Barboza and Sims are sitting pretty in the super lightweight world rankings, defeats in their most recent outings has seen both boxers seek refuge up at welterweight.

Barboza was beaten by the now-former WBO, The Ring and lineal super lightweight kingpin Teofimo Lopez in his last outing. Times Square in New York played host to the world title shot Barboza earned by edging out Chorley’s Jack Catterall in Manchester in December 2024. ‘The Takeover’ was too much for Barboza, who looked befuddled by Lopez’s speed and in-out defensive nous.

Sims is rebuilding as a bigger and, he hopes, stronger fighter following a disappointment of his own. The 32-year-old was pipped by Oscar Duarte on a majority verdict last August in Chicago. Sims looked fresh early but faded over the distance under relentless pressure. The majority verdict was a bit kinder to the loser than the winner. Duarte looked like a clear victor over the distance.

Both fighters are more than those setbacks. Watch Sims out-box and out-brawl Batyr Akhmedov over 12 rousing rounds. Check out Barboza’s controlled display of technical boxing to beat two-weight world champion Jose Pedraza. These are top fighters, despite the ceilings others have installed above them.

Only one can realistically shift that ceiling here. A loss for Barboza straight after he was handled with ease by Lopez, who lost his titles to Shakur Stevenson last month, condemns the 33-year-old to gatekeeper status.

Sims is already teetering, with his modest 23-3-1 record already making him a card-carrying member of the ‘who needs him?’ club. It is difficult to see many to jump at fighting the tough-nut warrior without the attendant world ranking benefits.

So, as boxing often does, a pair of opponents have found each other at the right time. The winner will be riding the crest of a wave back towards title contention. The loser will be a name on the record of the next hungry prospect between 140 and 147 pounds. All to play for.

Barboza Jr vs Sims Jr Full Card

Arnold Barboza Jr vs Kenneth Sims Jr

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Barboza Jr vs Sims Jr Prediction

Barboza knows how to shut down a fight. It won’t get him mentioned in the same breath as Roberto Duran, Diego Corrales and Arturo Gatti, but it does the job. Barboza quietened the home crowd as he outpointed Catterall. He is a technician at heart and execution trumps entertainment when he’s at his best.

Sims can box, but often prefers to throw bombs. Eight knockouts in 22 victories shows that his instincts are not always correct in this area. Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor. Especially when you don’t punch hard enough to stop top-end opponents.

I think Barboza will make this difficult, both for Sims and the fans. It’ll be a snoozer but an impeccably-executed one. Barboza on points at 2/1.

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