Kay dedicates fight to loss of best friend

Jiminez…back in Birmingham on Saturday night

KAY Jimenez will be fighting with his heart on his sleeve when he devotes his next outing to the memory of a late friend.

An emotional evening lies in wait at the Eastside Rooms, Woodcock Street, Birmingham, on Saturday, February 25.

Nour Mohamad Dieri, Kay’s long-standing friend from his childhood in Syria, sadly passed away from heart problems earlier this month.

Jiminez has a Syrian father and Spanish mother, but is now living in England for a second time, having previously been London-based.

He now calls Birmingham home, having linked up with father-and-son team Spencer McCracken Snr and Jnr, as manager and coach respectively, to begin his pro career.

The 31-year-old light-middle was a four times amateur national champion in Syriaand racked up 55 bouts, with 47 wins.

Jimenez turned over in December, at the Eastside Rooms, and outpointed Paul Cummings to record a landslide success, through a 40-36 scoreline.

Jimenez said: “I dedicate this fight to my close friend (Nour Mohamad Dieri). We have been friends for over 15 years and I was shattered by the news.

“I was in the gym and, when I’d finished, I had many missed calls to tell me what had happened. He was only 31 and so fit and well, so it was a big shock.

“Apart from that, my preparations have been perfect again and I’ve been training like I’m going for a title. The morning after my last fight, I was straight back on the run, for 10 miles.

“I went to Marbella (southern Spain) to see my mother and girlfriend after Christmas, but I went back to my old amateur gym (The Bull Boxing Club) to keep myself ticking over.

“When I’m back here, Jarrett (Doherty, fellow pro) is my main sparring partner and has a level of fitness that’s comparable to mine. He’s the man who can give me a lot of rounds.

“He’s a bit bigger than me, but very capable and he can hit and move. I’m making sure that I don’t cut corners and that I go above and beyond.

“I’m pushing myself to the limits and enjoying the process. The discipline that I have for boxing is something that will stand me in good stead.

“I’m loving what I’m doing and I’m happy with my progress. It was an interesting debut, for me, and I threw lots of punches. I had a lot of respect for my opponent (Paul Cummings).

“It was a great experience and I got hit a few times myself, too. It’s good to be fit, but it’s better to use your brain and that’s what I’ve been working on since.

“I’ve never hit the canvas in my life and I don’t plan on starting anytime soon. I’ve got a lot of heart and you will continue to see that in my future performances.”