Junior welterweight contender Kenneth Sims Jr. has struggled with inactivity in recent years, but 2024 is shaping up to be a turning point for the Chicago native.

Sims will step into the ring again on November 16, fighting Oscar Duarte as part of the season’s “Latino Night” in Riyad at The Venue in Saudi Arabia.

After declaring himself a grave contender and winning a majority vote over Elvis Rodriguez in 2021, Sims (21-2-1, 8 KO) found himself on the regional fight circuit, struggling to stay energetic. Sims had four fights between 2021 and 2023, including a potential fight of the year with Botirzhon Akhmedov, which aired on Showtime. This year, Sims, 30, who now trains in Las Vegas, signed with Golden Boy Promotions and made his promotional debut in August, stopping Jonathan Romero in five rounds.

His opponent, Mexican Duarte (27-2-1, 22 KO), may have been stopped by Ryan Garcia in December 2023, but under the guidance of trainer Robert Garcia, he rebounded by knocking out Joseph Diaz Jr. 2024. Duarte, 28, is a mighty boxer and Sims is known for his deft boxing skills, making for an intriguing clash of styles.

This fight is a key opportunity for Sims to stay energetic and perform at their best.

“I’m just excited to be back [in the ring]Sims said. “It’s been a long time, and these are two fights back to back – that’s when I’m in the best shape and energetic. I just appreciate that Golden Boy keeps me busy and I’m ready to put on an amazing performance.

Sims is well aware of Duarte’s challenge, but is confident in his preparation and mindset. Sims also knows that a win could put him in a title berth at the top of the division

“Oscar Duarte is a tough opponent, so I have to give my all, which is what I intend to do every time I step into the ring. “I’m training like it’s the last fight I’ll ever fight, so I plan on putting on an amazing performance and putting on a great show for you guys,” Sims said.

IBF middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly and challenger Andrei Mikhailovich made weight today ahead of their main event on ESPN+ on Friday, October 4 in Sydney, Australia.

Janibek predicts a first-round knockout of undefeated IBF No. 3 Mikhailovich. They were supposed to meet last July, but Janibek had to pull out after suffering severe dehydration while trying to gain weight.

Scales:

Janibek Alimkhanuly 159.5 pounds
Andrei Mikhailovich 160

Janibek (15-0, 10 KO) will defend his IBF title against Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KO) at The Star in Sydney, Australia. The event starts at 5:00 ET/2:00 PT.

Mikhailovich vows to “kill” Janibek

“It’s demanding to get into fights, but soon the world will know who I am, and I’m very excited about it,” said Andrei Mikhailovich during the gala last press conference. “I will win. There is no doubt about it and the king returns home.

“I already feel like a champion. I feel great about myself. I think the most critical thing is that I walk down the street like I’m already a champion. I’m frigid, whatever it is. I expect to be here. I expect to fight champions. This is what I do. That’s what I mean. I’m looking forward to work on Friday. I’ll kill you.”

“Tomorrow will be a very hard day for you. I’ll show you what I’m going to do,” Janibek said.

“I’m excited,” Mikhailovich said. “Do you know what jetlag is? Do you know what water loss is? Do you know what happens to your skull when you are dehydrated? It is like a layer of water that protects the brain from the skull. Without this and without a good liver, these blows will hurt.

“Those hits to the liver are going to be really painful. This temple will collapse. Good luck, soldier.

“I’m not used to this kind of nonsense. I come from top-class players,” said Egis Klimas, Janibek’s manager.

On Saturday evening, NICK Ball will headline the gala at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, where he will make the first defense of the WBA featherweight title. American Ronny Rios arrives as a title challenger. “Wrecking” Ball became a fan favorite due to his explosive striking style and ability to apply pressure.

Ball’s fight with Ray Ford was a classic fight, which he won by split decision in Riyad. Rios is a competent fighter, but he has been stopped in three of his four losses and will wait to be hit. That’s why it’s tough to look beyond stopping the ball, perhaps after a brief penalty shootout.

It will be a tough challenge for Ronny, who was absent from the ring for nearly two years as a 122-pounder before Nicolas Polanco stopped the fight in the fifth round in April.

It’s tough to find any argument for Rios to last the distance, let alone win the competition. In 2019, he actually pulled off a bit of a surprise, beating prospect Diego De La Hoya 21-0 in six rounds. However, he performed terribly against better boys.

Both teams have a common opponent. Ball drew with Rey Vargas two fights ago, and Rios lost to Vargas by unanimous decision in 2017. After each defeat, Rios always found a way back to the world’s top ranks, but was never able to win there.

Boxing news betting tips

Nick Ball will win by KO/TKO in rounds 5-8, 13/8

Nick Ball will win the fight/under 7.5 rounds @ 5/6

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