OSCAR Duarte vs Kenneth Sims Jr should deliver a fiercely-contested barnburner, filled with high-octane exchanges and several moments of real jeopardy.
The pair will square off this Saturday, headlining a Golden Boy Promotions card at the University of Illinois, Chicago, with both super-lightweight contenders bidding to land themselves a world title shot before long.
Sitting at the top of the tree are Teofimo Lopez, Richardson Hitchins, Subriel Matias and Gary Antuanne Russell, each champion possessing his own unique style and versatile repertoire of attacks.
For the winner of this particular matchup, though, it would make sense for either Sims, 22-2-1 (8 KOs), or Duarte, 29-2-1 (23 KOs) – who are ranked number four and five with the WBA, respectively – to target a stab at Russell’s black and gold strap.
But before that, they must first enter a mouth-watering semi-final which, given their contrasting yet nonetheless fan-friendly styles, should make for an all-action spectacle from start to finish.
The more defensively polished technician – representing the matador, as opposed to the bull – is Sims, who, since pulling off a sizable upset against Elvis Rodriguez in 2021, has emerged as a well-rounded force at 140lbs.
More recently, the 31-year-old elevated his career with a points victory over sturdy gatekeeper Botirzhon Akhmedov, showcasing his fluid movement on the outside while, in equal measure, encountering several spells of resistance in the pocket.
The physical nature of their 12-round battle, however, was only embraced by Sims, who, while utilising his switch-hitting prowess at long range, knew that he also needed to prove his mettle in the trenches.
And sure enough, ‘Bossman’ did exactly that, as while his advantages are typically evidenced by his crafty footwork, he equally showed that, when dragged into a tussle at close quarters, he possesses just the right amount of durability and mental robustness to hold his own.
Duarte, too, has previously outpointed Akhmedov, yet his victory, which arrived towards the end of last year, was reflected by a far wider set of scorecards.
Indeed, the 29-year-old produced a somewhat workmanlike performance to outwork, and ultimately outshine, his tenacious opponent.
And yet, as effective as it proved, it must be said that his one-paced approach was devoid of the same punch variety and accuracy that came with Sims’ earlier display.
It could be said, then, that the extra layer of creativity, which appears to be with the American, is likely to represent a decisive factor this weekend.
Oscar Duarte vs Kenneth Sims Jr Fight Prediction
After discovering just how sturdy his opponent’s chin truly is, Duarte is likely to run short of ideas and focus more on volume, rather than the quality of his attacks, as their fight progresses into the later rounds.
Sims, in contrast, should maintain a tight defensive shape, all the while picking the Mexican off with a series of snappy counters which, en route to a closely-contested decision, may prove eye-catching enough to sway the judges.
