Chicago boxer Kenneth Sims Jr. reaches No. 2 world ranking with hopes for world title
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Englewood native Kenneth Sims Jr. is making noise in pro boxing.
His latest win last month was his seventh straight, and a WBA super lightweight title eliminator. But as CBS 2's Jori Parys reported Monday, Sims has fought through obstacles to get where he is - including managing sickle cell.
Sims put on a pair of boxing gloves for the first time at 8 years old.
"My dad forced me to box - and I hated it," Sims said.
But the young Sims was a natural.
"He picked up things so fast that it was like, 'Oh, show him this - he has it," said Sims' dad, Kenneth Sims Sr.
"He was like, 'When you learn how to it, you can quit,'" said Sims Jr. "By that point, I didn't want to quit."
Sims has fought around the world as a member of the USA Boxing national team, and turned pro in 2014.
He rattled off a 2021 record with seven knockouts since.
But Sims' latest win raised eyebrows. A 12-round bout against Batyr Akhmedov being ended by majority decision came as no surprise to Sims.
"I seen all the tweets people talk about me seen article people talk about me," said Sims. "So it was like satisfying to prove them wrong - and satisfying prove people that believed in me right."
What did Sims prove to himself in that fight?
"Nothing. Nothing," he said. "I just did what I knew I could do."
Sims hasn't lost since a fight since 2018. That was when he noticed something felt off.
"All my energy just went away, and I was just like this - kind of like a zombie before the fight," said Sims.
Sims was dealing with the side effects of sickle cell - a disease that affects red blood cells' shape and ability to carry oxygen.
"The first thing they tell you about it is to be careful of strenuous work – so that's his life," said Sims' fiancée, Jailyn Brown. "He has to be sure that he's taking vitamins; be sure that he's very hydrated."
"My mind's saying do stuff in the ring, but I can't move, really - my body won't let me do it. It was a big obstacle for me to overcome," Sims said. "After I lost, my team, my uncle, my dad - we all was doing research. Went to the doctor got bloodwork stuff done, and I hired nutritionists and stuff. Since I've been working with them, I've been feeling great."
Sims ascension to No. 2 in WBA rankings hasn't come without its challenges but all have led to the present point – preparing with hopes for a world title shot.
"This is where you're supposed to be. I've always said that," said Sims Sr. "The community we come in you have to figure out how to get through things and that's always what I've preached to him."
Sims Jr. – a boxer known as "Bossman" - is a true family man with kids of his own, and credits his family as his inspiration. He said it means a lot to be from Chicago, and hopes to one day bring a world title fight to his home city.
Until then, the pro boxer from Englewood will keep working to make his dreams a reality.
"Growing up, I used to watch showtime championship boxing," said Sims. "Now I'm on it."
Three fights ago, sims wasn't ranked. Now he's No. 2 in world, and will get the first shot to challenge for a world title.