ANAHEIM, Calif. – It has been more than a decade since Arnold Barboza Jnr clocked in as heavy as he did during Friday’s official pre-fight weigh-in.
The former WBO interim 140lbs titlist Barboza checked in at 146.2lbs for his crossroads clash with Kenneth Sims Jnr, who was 146.6lbs. Their scheduled 12-round welterweight contest will top a five-fight DAZN stream on Saturday (8 p.m. ET/5 PT) from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Both boxers moved up from the junior welterweight division, where they rated as top contenders before suffering defeats in their most recent bouts last year.
For Los Angeles’ Barboza, 32-1 (11 KOs), his 12-round unanimous decision loss to then-WBO 140lbs champ Teofimo Lopez Jnr was the first blemish of a 13-year pro career. The journey has taken him around the world – including Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Manchester, England, in two of his past three fights – but Saturday marks a long overdue homecoming.
“We’re gonna make a statement,” Barboza told weigh-in host Beto Duran. “El Monte’s going to turn out, you’ll see. From fighting in Saudi and the UK to come back, this is special.”
Chicago’s Sims, 22-3-1 (8 KOs) was blessed with his own hometown headliner last August, though it ended in defeat. A 12-year ring veteran, Sims suffered a contentious points loss to Mexico’s Oscar Duarte in what marked – for now – his final fight at 140lbs.
While it was nothing but love with Barboza and his team throughout the promotion, Sims is now in full game-time mode.
“It’s always different, it’s that time to get to it,” Sims said. “No more talking. Time to let those fists fly and do the talking for you. No more close fights, no more dodgy decisions. We gonna dominate him.”
Oscar Collazo, 13-0 (10 KOs), and Jesus Haro, 13-3 (2 KOs), both made weight for their unified 105lbs championship affair, though the gloves selection proved to be a more difficult task.
Puerto Rico’s Collazo was 104.8lbs ahead of what will be his seventh defense of his WBO strawweight title and third with the Ring championship and WBA belt also at stake.
California’s Haro came in well under the mark at 103.4lbs as he enters his first major title fight. He will take on the division’s very best and will carry what he feels is the right equipment into the ring. That development came when the two boxers disagreed on the gloves usage for Saturday’s co-feature. The brief dispute ended with the agreement that both boxers will use Everlast MX gloves.
“It was a little mishap, but it happens,” noted Haro, whose team raised the issue. “We got that situated and are just ready.
“It’s time to shock the world.”
The defending champ was unbothered by the situation and unconvinced that his challenger belongs in the ring with him.
“I don’t care. Gloves don’t do nothing without the skills behind them,” insisted Collazo. “I just hope this guy’s ready.”
Fully unified 112lbs champion Gabriela Fundora, 17-0 (9 KOs), was well under the flyweight limit for her title consolidation bout versus WBA interim titlist Viviana Ruiz, 10-2 (5 KOs).
Fundora tipped the scales at a lean and ripped 110.8lbs before she attempts the sixth defense of at least one flyweight belt, and third as undisputed queen. Ruiz weighed 111.8lbs for her US debut and first major title shot.
Main card, DAZN (8 p.m. ET/5 PT)
Welterweights – 12 rounds
Arnold Barboza Jnr (146.2lbs) vs Kenneth Sims Jnr (146.6lbs)
Strawweights – 12 rounds
Oscar Collazo (104.8lbs) vs Jesus Haro (103.4lbs)
Women’s flyweights – 10 rounds
Gabriela Fundora (110.8lbs) vs Viviana Ruiz (111.8lbs)
Welterweights – 10 rounds
Alexis Rocha (147.4lbs) vs Joseph “JoJo” Diaz (146.7lbs)
Welterweights – eight rounds
Joel Iriarte (146.4lbs) vs Rock Dodler Myrthill (146.2lbs)
Preliminary undercard – Golden Boy YouTube (4 p.m. ET/1 PT)
Junior middleweight (+2lbs) – eight rounds
Grant Flores (155lbs) vs Rashid Stevens (156lbs)
Junior middleweight – six rounds
Cayden Griffiths (150.6lbs) vs Omar Gutierrez (151.8lbs)
Middleweights – eight rounds
Fabian Guzman (159.4lbs) vs Julian Delgado (159.4lbs)
Lightweights (+2lbs) – eight rounds
Daniel Garcia (136.2lbs) vs Blas Caro (136.8lbs)
Junior lightweight (+2lbs) – six rounds
Leo Sanchez (130.8lbs) vs Cesar Juarez (132lbs)
