Richy Maria Jacob
Showtime’s ‘Ringside’ features two boxing prodigies from Chicago South Side, who make their mark in the field of boxing due to their persistence and upbringing, which in many ways enabled them to be what they are today. Shot over a period of nine years, the documentary film chronicles their journey, which is not devoid of the undercurrents of several socio-economic factors. One of them was none other than boxing prodigy Destyne Butler Jr., whereas the other was Kenneth Sims Jr.
Kenneth Sims Jr. Has Faced His Fair Share of Struggles Over the Years
At the beginning of the film, when the camera pans to Sims, though quite young, he was already a top contender in the local circuit. But alas, he soon faced a major setback in terms of losing a round that would eventually eliminate him from the 2012 US Olympic team. Regardless, under the rigorous training of his father, he started bagging trophies despite the odds weighing him down. In an interview, he said, “I started giving them [trophies] away to my cousins and my grandmother as I got older. I kept some of them, but a lot of them I gave away. Once I started winning nationals and getting the belts they give out, and the medals, I started giving the trophies away.” This is because the young champ literally started running out of space to keep them at home.
In any case, Sims admits he learned to keep a level head when it comes to the big fights over time – it wasn’t natural for him. He has won many national titles, and after his big debut in 2014, there was no stopping him as he became a skilled, reputed sparring contender. The emotional feel of his growth is not wasted on anyone who sees the film, as it represents not just his talent but also what he had to lose every time he faltered. Trained by his father, his dreams of success were a collective one – they represented almost everyone from where he came from. He clearly mentions this in an interview too, stating, “I’m fighting for everybody that’s helped me or looked up to me or supported me. I want them to know that their support is not in vain and I appreciate everything. I want to win for them to show them that I appreciate it and I’m doing my best to be the best that I can.”
Kenneth Sims Jr. is Thriving as a Professional Boxer
Kenneth Sims Jr., aka Bossman, continues to work on his streak by keeping up with training. There is evidence of this if one looks up his social media accounts as his posts place a clear emphasis on the time he spends training and playing other sports. In fact, during the COVID-19 pandemic, his quarantine schedule mostly consisted of training with his father, Kenneth Sr.
While promoting his appearance in the documentary on all of his social media platforms in 2020, he reflected on the past with great appreciation. In one Instagram post, he even wrote, “When filming started for @ringsidethefilm I was just a shy 14-year-old kid. Watching it I seen myself grow up right on the screen. I’m proud of where I come from, and I can’t wait for everybody to see.”
He also makes his political thoughts known through his various posts on X (formerly Twitter). In any case, it seems like the world is yet to see all of Sims’ potential as he is just getting ready to prove himself so as to build a better life for his family. After all, he now has much more to fight for – from what we can tell, he is currently in a happy, healthy relationship with a woman named Boosk, with whom he shares two adorable children. We should also mention this Chicago, Illinois, resident as well as professional boxer is currently signed by Golden Boy, which truly prides itself on pushing people’s careers. We honestly can’t wait to see what’s in the cards for him next.
Read More: Where is Destyne Butler Jr. Today?
