ANAHEIM, Calif. – The surroundings for Saturday’s DAZN show provided a surreal feeling for three participants who came up together on the greater Los Angeles boxing scene.
Arnold Barboza Jnr is tasked with anchoring one of Golden Boy Promotions’ strongest cards in recent memory, as he’s set to face Kenneth Sims Jnr in a pivotal bout for both fighters. Their meeting takes place at welterweight, though their careers ran parallel as they rose to become top contenders at 140lbs.
The timing of their matchup allowed L.A.’s Barboza, 32-1 (11 KOs), to share the stage with Alexis Rocha and Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, who happen to be facing each other on the undercard.
Both bouts will air live as part of a loaded four-fight lineup Saturday from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The show also includes two genuine championship contests featuring lineal and unified 105lbs king Oscar Collazo and reigning undisputed 112lbs queen Gabriela Fundora.
“I want to give a big shoutout to Golden Boy,” Barboza said while admiring the lineup on stage during Thursday’s press conference at Hotel Fera in Orange, California. “This card is stacked from top to bottom. I’m on the card with Puerto Rico’s best fighter [Collazo]. My favorite female fighter, hands down, is Fundora. That’s an honor for me.
“Rocha, the undercard – one person I gotta give a shout-out to, my hometown guy JoJo Diaz. I’m proud of you. Everything we’ve been through together. Who knew when we were eight years old, playing jets and running amok around South El Monte Boxing Gym that we’d be on this card together?”
Much has been made of Diaz’s personal comeback outside the ring. A former IBF 130lbs titlist who has run into legal trouble and has made many questionable lifestyle choices, Diaz has since sought the wisdom and teachings of a higher power to turn around his life.
It has yet to fully translate in the ring – Diaz, 34-8-1 (15 KOs), has just two victories in his past nine starts. However, it also comes from having faced a wide assortment of tough challenges, a common theme throughout his career.
“My beautiful kids is what completes me. My girlfriend, my daughter, my son – who I want to see again and complete my life,” said Diaz, a 33-year-old southpaw from South El Monte. “I’ve done everything in my boxing career. Now it’s a lot deeper for me. It’s spiritual for me. I give glory to God. He brought me out of a deep place. I used to live a wild lifestyle when I was making all this money with the fame and stuff.
“I gave my life to Christ, gave up the drugs and alcohol. I’m here to show that no matter how dark it gets, you can still do it as long as you have that faith.”
He is now tasked with trying to slow down the progress of Rocha, 25-2-1 (16 KOs), a 28-year-old welterweight contender from Santa Ana, California.
“I’m very happy to be fighting JoJo,” noted Rocha, who hasn’t fought since a December 2024 draw with Raul Curiel. “I’ve seen him fighting, coming up. I’ve always admired and respected him and – honestly – I always looked up to the guy. Not just what he’s accomplished, but his faith.”
Admittedly, neither fighter believed this match would ever happen.
“I always thought I would fight Ronny Rios,” noted Diaz, referring to Rocha’s older brother. “Me and Alexis are going to be fighting. He’s a good guy; I wish him nothing but the best. I’m not taking anything lightly.”
Rocha essentially had two camps for this fight. He was due to face Curiel in a rematch on January 16 but was forced to withdraw just prior to the weigh-in when his body shut down in his bid to get down to welterweight.
Now back at full health, he is tasked with facing another familiar face – though in a different scenario.
“I never pictured fighting JoJo, but it’s business,” noted Rocha. “That’s all it is. I believe this fight is definitely going to steal the show. Everything happens for a reason. I truly believe in God’s plan.”
There was a similar amount of love and respect between the main event fighters, even if they came up through different systems.
Sims, 22-3-1 (8 KOs), is a former amateur standout from Chicago’s south side and has emerged as a top – if tough-luck – contender in the pro ranks.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, he willingly accepted a showdown with Mexico’s Oscar Duarte, in lieu of a soft touch, for a long overdue homecoming last August 2 in Chicago. Sims came up just short on the cards as he dropped a majority decision in what turned out to be his last fight at junior welterweight.
His sights set on a prize at 147lbs, the 32-year-old “Bossman” was eager for the toughest showdown available – even against an opponent he vibes with outside the ring.
“I’ve wanted this fight for a while,” noted Sims. “What’s funny is, I think he’s a really cool person. Him and his pops, we were talking before all this.
“But I’m a competitor. He’s a good fighter, and I want to fight everyone. He’s been in the top 10 for years, and I want that spot. I got offered it and I took that chance. This helps my career extremely. He’s been in big moments and fought good fighters. Me going in and taking care of him in dominant fashion, it will show everyone that I belong at the top.”
Barboza was at that very doorstep just one year ago. He registered a career-best win with a 12-round split decision over Jack Catterall to claim a secondary version of the WBO 140lbs title on the road in Manchester, England. It led to his first major title fight, though he laid an egg against then-full WBO champ Teofimo Lopez Jnr last May in New York City.
Like Sims, Barboza decided the time had come to move up in weight. While on stage with his son in his lap, the 34-year-old Los Angeleno Barboza couldn’t help but admire the family man in his forthcoming foe.
“Sims is an amazing fighter. I know he’s gonna bring it, and I really can’t wait,” admitted Barboza. “Kenneth Sims is a really good dude, him and his team. What warmed my heart, seeing that promo video with his son on his shoulder. That’s what we do it for.”
