Oscar Duarte (30-2-1, 23 KOs) used constant pressure and inside attack to defeat Kenneth Sims (22-3-1, 8 KOs) by a 12-round majority decision in a light welterweight WBA title eliminator on Saturday night at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
The scores were 114-114, 116-112, and 115-113.
Sims had some success early, using movement to keep Duarte on the outside, and unable to land his power shots. As the rounds were won, Duarte cut off the ring on Sims, trapping him against the ropes, and landing to the body. The punches to the body seemed to take Sims’ legs away from him, as he couldn’t move as effectively in the second half of the contest.
Results
Regis Prograis (30-3, 24 KOs) got back to the winning track, defeating Joseph ‘Jo Jo’ Diaz (34-8-1, 15 KOs) by an exciting 10-round unanimous decision in a welterweight fight. The scores were 98-92, 96-94, and 96-94. It was a close enough fight that it could have been a draw or a victory for Diaz.
The former IBF super featherweight champion Diaz staggered Prograis with a left to the jaw in the first round, and came close to scoring a quick knockout. Regis came back, landing shots at will in rounds two through five. Diaz hurt Prograis again in rounds six, eight, and nine.
Tristan Kalkreuth (16-1, 11 KOs) scored a weird third-round technical knockout of replacement opponent Devonte Williams (13-3, 6 KOs) in a cruiserweight fight. Kalkreuth, 23, dropped Williams with a left to the body late in round two.
Williams went down in a delayed reaction. It looked like he was quitting, as he took out his mouthpiece and walked toward his corner. The fight was allowed to continue for the remaining seconds of the round. In between rounds, Williams complained of an eye injury, and the fight was stopped. The official time of the stoppage was one second into the third round.
Joshua Edwards (4-0, 4 KOs) destroyed Cayman Audie (4-2, 2 KOs) by a first-round knockout in heavyweight action. Edwards dropped Audie with a huge right hand. The referee then stepped in and halted the fight.