More aggressive Duarte edges Sims in exciting 140 title eliminator
Prograis overcomes rough moments in decision over Diaz in fight of the year contender; heavyweight prospect Edwards gets quick KO
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Junior welterweight Oscar Duarte, who was busier, more aggressive and let the power shots fly, won a hard-fought majority decision over Kenneth Sims Jr. in a WBA title elimination bout on Saturday night.
Duarte traveled to Sims’ hometown of Chicago and won the main event of the Golden Boy Promotions card on DAZN at Credit Union 1 Arena to move a step closer to a mandatory title shot at the 140-pound belt held by Gary Antuanne Russell, although he is overdue for his current mandatory defense against Andy Hiraoka.
One judge scored the fight 114-114 but the other two had it 116-112 and 115-113 for Duarte, who won his fourth bout in a row since an eighth-round knockout loss to Ryan Garcia in December 2023. Fight Freaks Unite also had Duarte winning 116-112.
Duarte relied heavily on his left hook and uppercut while Sims made hay with his strong jab and counter punches. But in the end the judges went with Duarte’s sheer aggression.
“I think I won the fight. Kenneth Sims is a warrior,” Duarte said. “He fought a good fight but I trained very hard with (trainer) Robert Garcia. It was the war that I expected. I’m an intelligent fighter and it was a long camp and this is the kind of fight that I expected.
“I knew I had to put pressure on him. I knew I had to hit him to the body and take the legs away. I also had to take away his will.”