Barboza established his dominance early, moving around the ring and launching rapid punch sequences. Sims managed to connect with some right hands and counter-attacks, yet found it challenging to maintain Barboza within striking distance for subsequent actions.
During the intermediate rounds, Barboza maintained a disciplined strategy. He advanced with brief flurries of punches and then retreated before Sims had an opportunity to respond. Barboza consistently delivered the more precise blows as the contest progressed beyond its midpoint.
Sims attempted to press the attack, seeking opportunities, particularly with his right hand. He experienced short periods where his punches landed, but Barboza’s agile footwork and effective jab prevented him from developing any significant offensive rhythm.
Barboza maintained his consistent strategy into the concluding rounds, leveraging his jab and movement to dictate the range. While both competitors exchanged blows more freely in the ultimate round, Barboza seemed once more to land the more incisive strikes as the match drew to an end.
The adjudicators rendered a decisive victory for Barboza, submitting scorecards reading 117-111, 118-110, and 120-108.
The boxing match was held at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Following this triumph, Barboza’s record advanced to 33-1 with 11 stoppages, whereas Sims’s record declined to 22-3-1 with eight knockouts.
Post-fight, Barboza expressed a desire to challenge a more prominent figure in the welterweight division. He identified Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Rolando “Rolly” Romero as potential future adversaries, stating his preference to encounter one of them in his upcoming contest. Based on Barboza Jr.’s performance this evening, he would possess a strong likelihood of overcoming any of those three combatants should he be afforded the opportunity.
