UK Boxing
Arnold Barboza Jr vs Keneth Sims Jr – substantial fight preview and predictions
Gigantic boxing returns to Anaheim this weekend as Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy promotes Arnold Barboza Jr (32-1) to fight Kenneth Sims Jr (22-3-1).
Sims Jr is Barboza Jr’s first test after losing a unanimous decision in his last match.
The 34-year-old was outclassed last time he faced Teofimo Lopez for the WBO super lightweight crown.
He was scored on all three judges’ scorecards, with two scoring him 112-116 and the third scoring him 110-118.
The Lopez vs. Barboza Jr fight took place on the historic Times Square card last May.
After over nine months of break, he returns for the first time, this time in the welterweight division.
Barboza Jr last fought at welterweight in 2019, where he forced Ricky Sismundo to retire in the fourth round.
Since moving up to super lightweight, the 34-year-old has scored several impressive victories against Sean McComb, Jose Carlos Ramirez and Jack Catterall.
His opponent, Sims Jr, is no exaggeration despite having three defeats to his name.
Sam Sims Jr last suffered a loss when he was defeated by majority decision against Oscar Duarte Jurado in August.
Before the defeat in the last match, “Bossman” was in good form, recording nine wins in the series.
Prediction: Barboza Jr should have more than enough to be confirmed to compete in the welterweight division.
Oscar Collazo vs. Jesus Haro
The co-main event sees one of the lower weight classes’ most thrilling stars return to action.
Oscar Collazo (13-0) will enter the bout undefeated with an impressive 77% knockout rate against Jesus Haro (13-3).
His last appearance was in September, when he scored a victory over Jayson Vayson, whom he stopped in the seventh.
Collazo has held the WBO minimumweight world title since May 2023, when he forced Melvin Jerusalem to retire on his stool after the seventh round.
Haro, 23, is fighting for a world title for the first time in his career, so he will be looking to cause an upset.
He lost on his debut by split decision and has since been defeated twice in the last five years.
Despite the losses, Haro has as many wins as Collazo entering the competition.
In May 2025, he defeats Jaime Guevara by knockout in the fourth round.
Prediction: Collazo should take his eleventh career break and it will prove to be too much for the 23-year-old.
Gabriela Fundora vs. Viviana Ruiz Corredor
Undisputed flyweight world champion Gabriela Fundora (17-0) returns to action on Saturday against Viviana Ruiz Corredor (10-2).
He puts all his belts on the line against Ruiz Corredor.
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Fundora is on a remarkable 17-fight win streak since making his professional debut in 2021.
She won her first world title just two years after her debut in 2023, when she defeated Arely Mucino in the fifth round.
“Sweet Poison” enters this weekend’s fight on a three-fight winning streak, all coming in seven.
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At just 23 years elderly, Fundora is one of the brightest stars in the sport and may look to fight in multiple weight classes in the future.
Prediction: Should have more than enough to stop a fourth straight fight against Corredor, who has never finished a match before the final bell.
Undercard remaining
Elsewhere in the event, former world title challenger Alexis Rocha (25-2-1) will face veteran campaigner Joseph Diaz (34-8-1) in a welterweight clash that will see Rocha fight for ten rounds.
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There are also plenty of undefeated prospects, with Joel Iriarte (9-0) looking to maintain his perfect record against Rock Dodler Myrthil (17-2-1), and Fabian Guzman (9-0) also expected to be favored to extend his unbeaten streak against Julian Delgado (9-1).
Daniel Garcia (12-0) vs Blas Ezequiel Caro (12-9) in a airy heavyweight bout and will likely be confident of keeping his record intact, while Cayden Griffiths (7-0) will face Omar Ulises Gutierrez Munguia (8-2-1) and Grant Flores (12-0) will face Rashid Stevens (6-1-2) and several Gold contenders The boy is impressive on the card.
The post Arnold Barboza Jr vs Keneth Sims Jr – Gigantic Fight Preview and Predictions appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
Dillian Whyte is eager to fight Joseph Parker again.
In 2018, Whyte and Parker played 12 invigorating rounds, with both hitting the canvas.
Whyte won his dramatic heavyweight fight by unanimous decision at the O2 Arena.
‘The Body Snatcher’ is now planning a rematch with the Recent Zealander, who is looking to clear his name after testing positive for cocaine following his October defeat to Fabio Wardley.
“There are a lot of good fights and Joseph Parker is one of them,” the 38-year-old said Ring Magazine.
“I would love to fight Joseph Parker, I think it’s a really good fight.
“He has to come back, he has to be cleared or whatever. I don’t know the situation.
“So in the meantime I have to stay busy and fight my way back, so let’s see.
“I feel like I still have a little bit to give, so let’s see what we can do to finish the season on a high.
“I’m training now and I want to come back in May or June.
“Now it’s just a matter of training and seeing what comes out on this kind of date.”
The former world title challenger from Brixton has not fought since a crushing first-round knockout defeat to rising contender Moses Itauma last August in Riyad.
Former world champion Parker won six times on spin before being stopped in the 11th round against Wardley, losing the WBO interim title and a shot at unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.
The 34-year-old says he is going through this process after failing the test and hopes it will be resolved soon.
“Let’s hope so [I’m back] soon,” Parker said Professional boxing fans.
“I’m just going through the process and practicing patience.
“We just have to be patient and learn from what they say happened.
“I know what happened and I handed over everything, so let’s see.”
The post Dillian Whyte Eyes Joseph Parker Rematch appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
Tony Yoka has broken his silence on Lawrence Okolie’s failed test that canceled their scheduled heavyweight fight.
On Saturday in Paris, Yoka was scheduled to face Okolie in a fierce heavyweight fight.
But on Tuesday, the Briton failed a VADA test, reportedly for GHRP 2 and its metabolite M8, a synthetic substance that stimulates the body to release human growth hormone.
Promoter Frank Warren tried to find a slow replacement, but later canceled the entire show.
Yoka (33) admits that he was bitterly disappointed with the situation.
“I was disappointed because I wanted to fight,” said the 33-year-old talkSPORT.
“Of course I was ready.
“It’s not like it happened a few months before, it was three, four days before the fight.
“It was a great opportunity.
“It would have put me in a really good position, so it really worried me.
“What was more disappointing to me was that they just canceled the entire show, but I understand it’s a business.”
The Frenchman says he won’t wait too long and has been told he will either fight on the card Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois May 9 in Manchester or on the bill Dave Allen vs Filip Hrgovic on May 16 in Doncaster.
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Okolie, the WBC’s number one contender for Oleksandr Usyk’s title, promised in a statement to clear his name.
“Before anyone starts imagining the worst, after last year’s bicep injury, I suffered an elbow injury on the same shoulder during this camp.
“I underwent treatment and now we are here.
“I hope common sense will prevail.
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“I will of course cooperate fully with all relevant authorities and I am confident that any investigation will clear my name.
“I will not be making any further comments at this time.
“Thank you for all your support and see you soon.”
The post “I Was Nervous” – Tony Yoka’s Reaction to Lawrence Okolie’s Failed Test appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
David Benavidez is already looking to the future ahead of next week’s showdown with Zurdo Ramirez.
Benavidez challenges Zurdo for his unified WBO and WBA cruiserweight world titles next Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, live on DAZN pay-per-view.
“The Mexican Monster” is moving up from lightweight heavyweight, where he holds the WBC crown, in a bid to become a three-division world champion.
An undisputed 175-pound title fight with Dmitry Bivol has so far eluded the undefeated 29-year-old, but he insists he will return to the weight class after the Ramirez fight in an attempt to lure Bivol to fight him.
“My plan wasn’t just to abandon the lightweight heavyweight division,” Benavidez said Ariel Helwani show.
“My plan was this [to] come up, win two titles, come back and make this fight with me and Bivol even bigger.
“My dream is to become unified champion.
“It would be wise for me to go back downstairs.”
Bivol, the holder of the remaining IBF, WBA and WBO belts, will defend his IBF title against mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on May 30 in Russia.
The 35-year-old won the undisputed crown, among others revenge victory over Artur Beterbiev in his last appearance last February.
The Russian gave up the WBC belt, which Benavidez currently holds, in pursuit of a third meeting with Beterbiev, which ultimately did not take place.
Benavidez, who stopped Anthony Yarde in Riyad in November, is also hoping to fight former undisputed lightweight heavyweight champion Beterbiev, who hasn’t fought since his only professional loss to Bivol.
“After this fight [against Bivol] when I win the titles,” he added.
“I’m going to fight Beterbiev.
“I’m probably most excited about Beterbiev.
“These are two monsters heading on a collision course.
“Beterbiev was a bogeyman for a long, long, long time.
“Being the monster I am, I have to go in there and get rid of the bogeyman.”
The post David Benavidez Eyeing Two Names After Zurdo Ramirez appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
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