Oscar Duarte vs Kenneth Sims Jr Predictions: Title shot beckons for well-matched pair

Oscar Duarte takes on Kenneth Sims Jr this Saturday, August 2 at the University of Illinois in Chicago. The super lightweight 12-rounder will headline a Golden Boy card in The Windy City, with DAZN televising the action live. Former world champions Regis Prograis and Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz do battle in a throwback chief support contest.

Here are my Oscar Duarte vs Kenneth Sims Jr predictions ahead of this potential tear-up.

Oscar Duarte vs Kenneth Sims Jr Odds

Duarte is your 4/7 favourite to get the victory here, which makes sense given his slightly higher level of opposition and power advantage. Sims is the 6/4 underdog. Both men have one draw on their records and you can back that result at 16/1.

Oscar Duarte vs Kenneth Sims Jr Fight Preview

This fight is likely to send the victor hurtling towards WBA champion Gary Antuanne Russell. Duarte is ranked fifth by the organisation while his opponent sits fourth. Something called the WBA Continental Americas title is on the line, basically because the WBA loves the sound of their own belts. 

The title might be useless but the reward is not. Super lightweight is wide open as a division, with WBO champ Teofimo Lopez’s lineal supremacy offering the only clarity. Subriel Matias has just picked up the WBC strap in a mild upset over Alberto Puello. Richardson Hitchins has all the talent in the world and holds the IBF bauble. It will be interesting to see his development as it unfurls.

But the winner of this fight will be a major factor in the division. The road to such status has been a long one for Duarte. His willingness to take on all comers has sometimes harmed him, which is a sad reality of the modern pugilistic landscape. Gone are the days where you’d suffer a defeat to a big name opponent and be back in the ring a month or six weeks later, getting back in the win column against another opponent.

The gestation period of fights now, where most top boxers seem to think two fights a year is optimum, makes such a rebuild untenable. But Duarte has done his best to put the eight-round knockout loss he suffered against Ryan Garcia two years ago to bed. 

Losing to ‘KingRy’ was no rarity for the division’s danger men back then. Garcia hit Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell so hard that he joined the Reform Party. He walloped former world champion Javier Fortuna in six rounds. At that point, it looked like the social media megastar would break records. His issues outside of the ring and use of a banned substance within it have not only dulled but entirely buffed-off the shine. Garcia was terrorised to a points defeat last time out to Rolly Romero.

Duarte’s fortunes have been much better than those of his conqueror. ‘La Migrana’ has been out three times since and is 3-0 with two knockouts during that period. The first victory was the best. Duarte became the first man to stop ‘JoJo’ Diaz, with the referee waving the action off in round nine.

A points win over ex-world champion Batyr Akhmedov followed, in what was a real pick-em fight going in. Duarte knocked out ranked contender Miguel Madeno in his next bout, finishing his fellow Mexican in seven sessions. Duarte has earned his plum position with the WBA through a series of hard-fought wins. 

Sims knows all about both the pain of defeat and the grit needed to overcome it. Two early-career defeats in eight-rounders saw the Chicago stylist written off prematurely. Better for the experience, ‘Bossman’ is now 31 and looks ready for this main event in his hometown.

Sims scored his own points win over Akhmedov, which stands out as his best work. A close, tough and thrilling contest saw the American declared the rightful winner. But a wonderful 10 rounds unfolded before the decision was rendered.

The consensus is that we are in for more of the same here. Sims is technical but can both initiate or be drawn into a tear-up. Duarte is your classic come-forward Mexican warrior, looking to create openings through masterful aggression. If this one opens up, and I think it will, then fans of pure boxing warfare are in for a treat.

Oscar Duarte vs Kenneth Sims Jr Full Card

Oscar Duarte Jurado vs Kenneth Sims Jr

Regis Prograis vs Joseph Pedroza Diaz Jr

Tristan Kalkreuth vs Devonte Williams

Yair Benjamin Gallardo-Lozano vs Quinton Rankin

Gael Cabrera vs Richard Reyes Diaz

Joshua Edwards vs Cayman Audie

Mehki Phillips vs Joseph Ricardo Cruz Brown

Oscar Duarte vs Kenneth Sims Jr Prediction

In a fight that I expect to be close and feature plenty of action-packed exchanges, I usually back the puncher. Duarte has stopped 23 of his 29 victims. Sims only has eight finishes from 22 wins. But I actually feel like ‘Bossman’ has a technical edge.

The slippery southpaw can flit effortlessly between planted-feet, bombs away slugging to a more evasive and awkward gameplan. Duarte does not have that same switch in his skillset. You win rounds by dictating the pace of a fight. I think Sims is better-equipped to do that.

My pick is Sims to score the upset at 6/4.

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