ANAHEIM, Calif. — Arnold Barboza Jr. captured the WBO Global Welterweight Title with a commanding unanimous decision victory over Kenneth Sims Jr. in a 12-round main event broadcast live worldwide on DAZN from the Honda Center.
Barboza (33-1, 11 KOs), fighting out of South El Monte, California, controlled the pace of the bout with sharp combinations and disciplined pressure. Despite suffering a headbutt in the 11th round, Barboza continued to dominate en route to a decisive win. Judges scored the contest 120-108, 118-110, and 117-111 in his favor.
“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,” said Arnold Barboza Jr. “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.
Continued Barboza, “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 Jr. (22-3-1, 8 KOs) acknowledged the defeat but remained optimistic about his future.
“Yeah, the scores were crazy, but the score doesn’t matter now. I didn’t win the fight. It’s cool though. I’m a 140-pounder, so I’ll go back to where I’m best at,” said Kenneth Sims Jr. “I’ve got to get better. Get better, do better, be smarter. It comes with the territory. I’ve been doing this my whole life, so I know this feeling and I know how to deal with it.”
Oscar Collazo Defends Unified Minimumweight Titles
In the co-main event, Puerto Rico’s undefeated champion Oscar Collazo successfully defended his WBA, WBO, and Ring Magazine Minimumweight World Championships against Mexico’s Jesus Haro.
Collazo (13-0, 10 KOs) showcased his dominance before Haro’s corner advised the referee to stop the fight at the end of the sixth round. The bout was co-promoted with Miguel Cotto Promotions.
Alexis Rocha Outpoints Former Champion JoJo Diaz
Santa Ana’s Alexis Rocha secured a strong victory in a fan-friendly matchup against former world champion Joseph Diaz Jr..
The 10-round welterweight contest went the distance, with Rocha earning a unanimous decision with scores of 97-93, 98-92, and 100-90, improving his record to 26-2-1.
Gabriela Fundora Retains Undisputed Flyweight Crown
Undisputed flyweight champion Gabriela Fundora defended her IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO, and Ring Magazine Flyweight World Titles against Viviana Ruiz Corredor.
Fundora (18-0, 10 KOs) dominated the fight, scoring a knockdown in the fourth round before forcing a stoppage at 1:25 of the sixth round. The bout was co-promoted with Sampson Boxing.
Joel Iriarte Scores Knockout to Open Broadcast
Kicking off the DAZN broadcast, rising prospect Joel Iriarte retained the WBA Continental Gold Welterweight Title with a sixth-round stoppage victory over Rock Myrthil at 2:35.
Rising Prospects Shine on Preliminary Card
The preliminary bouts streamed live on the Golden Boy Promotions YouTube channel and showcased several rising prospects.
Unbeaten Grant Flores improved to 13-0 after defeating Rashid Stevens via unanimous decision in an eight-round super welterweight contest.
Coachella Valley standout Cayden Griffiths delivered one of the night’s most explosive finishes, scoring a first-round knockout over Omar Munguia after dropping him twice.
Santa Ana’s Fabian Guzman remained undefeated with a unanimous decision victory against Julian Delgado in a competitive middleweight bout.
Denver prospect Daniel Garcia added another knockout to his record, stopping Blas Caro in the second round.
Opening the night, Leonardo Sanchez earned a second-round TKO victory over veteran Cesar Juarez after Juarez’s corner threw in the towel.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, and Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and is also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer. He’s also the main photographer for the 4CornersMafia Car Club.
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