OSCAR De La Hoya and Golden Boy brought big-time boxing back to Chicago over the weekend with a two-pronged serving of fights, capping off a card packed with fistic fun. In the chief supporting contest, Regis Prograis slugged out a win over Joseph Diaz after 10 stirring rounds.
In the main event, Oscar Duarte snatched victory over Kenneth Sims Jr over 12 rounds, consigning Sims to defeat number three but with the consolation of praise from his promoters, who tweeted out, “Nothing but 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓 for Kenneth Sims Jr! You stepped in that ring, left it all out there, and inspired 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚. The best is yet to come and the next chapter is going to be 𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒚…”
The 31-year-old ‘Bossman’ was fighting at home, seeking to finally take that next step towards the top, having put together a nine-fight winning streak. Duarte snapped the run by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and an all-even 114-114. Undeterred, Sims has vowed to bounce back, as surprising social posts revealed that Duarte was not the only opposition the hometown fighter had to contend with.
When asked to add context to the messages, Ms Julie Goldsticker, the above tweeter, explained: “I have been fortunate to work with the top boxing commissions in the country countless times and have never witnessed such rudeness to fighters, trainers, and those simply trying to do their job.”
“It was completely ridiculous!!” added Sims on X, who had his hands full with heavy-handed Mexican Duarte, who continues his rebuild from a 2023 defeat to Ryan Garcia, the second of Duarte’s career. His first loss came to Adrian Estrella in 2019.
It was the kind of clash, similar to Prograis-Diaz, where neither of the losing fighters came away having lost much at all, given their respective performances. “I thought I edged the fight but I take my losses like a MAN congratulations Duarte hope we can run it back,” added Sims.
