NEWARK – Kenneth Sims Jr. beat another undefeated fighter Saturday night.

The re-emerging welterweight conquered Keeshawn Williams by unanimous decision in a competitive, entertaining eight-round fight FS1 televised as part of the Vito Mielnicki Jr.-Nicholas DeLomba undercard at Prudential Center. Sims, who upset then-unbeaten Elvis Rodriguez in his previous fight, won by scores of 79-73, 79-73 and 77-75 in a fight that was put together at their weigh-in Friday because both of their opponents fell out of their fights that were scheduled for Saturday night.

Chicago’s Sims improved to 17-2-1 (5 KOs) seven months after he defeated the Dominican Republic’s Rodriguez (12-1-1, 11 KOs) by majority decision in an eight-rounder May 22 in Las Vegas. Washington, D.C.’s Williams fell to 8-1-1 (2 KOs).

Williams and Sims continued to trade hard shots throughout the eighth round, though neither fighter could hurt his opponent. An overhand right by Sims made Williams hold him with about 30 seconds remaining in their fight.

Sims and Williams traded right hands for much of the first two minutes of the seventh round. Sims switched to a southpaw stance again in the final minute of the seventh round and became harder to hit.

Williams had some success in the sixth round, though Sims clipped him with a right hook toward the end of it while fighting out of a southpaw stance.

Sims’ right hand snapped Williams’ head less than 10 seconds into the fifth round. Sims cracked Williams with another right hand when there was about 1:15 to go in the fifth round.

Williams landed a hard right barely a minute into the fourth round, but Sims took it well, pressed forward and kept Williams on his back foot.

Sims drilled Williams with a counter right hand a little less than a minute into the third round. That shot seemed to affect Williams, who retreated for a brief time.

Williams landed a left to Sims’ body in an exchange in the opening minute of the second round. Sims landed a right hand at the midway mark of the second round and quickly moved out of Williams’ punching range.

Sims landed a right hand as Williams moved toward the ropes with just over a minute to go in the opening round. A little later in the first round, Sims connected with a left to Williams’ body that made him move away.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.