Hollywood is coming home.
Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez is planning to sharpen up his boxing skills and remain undefeated Saturday night when he takes on St. Louis boxer Kevin Engel (20-11, 16 knockouts) in the Bobby Hitz Fight Night at the Venue inside the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond.
Jimenez, a Chicago native who is 16-0 with 10 knockouts, was recently slated to fight on the undercard in the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather pay-per-view bout May 2 from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Jimenez will take Philadelphia native Jesse Hart (16-0, 13 KOs) on May 2 in what will no doubt be Jimenez’s opportunity to show the world what kind of boxer he can or will become. The two boxers will also be duking it out for the right to win the vacant USBA super middleweight title.
But he can’t look past the 34-year-old Engel — nicknamed “The Hitman” — who can provide powerful punching of his own, with five of his last six wins coming by knockout.
“This is going to be an exciting night for Chicago-area fight fans,” promoter Bobby Hitz said. “Not only is Mike looking to make a statement in our main even before he fights on the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather card, but we have a lineup of fighters all hungry to make a name for themselves in the boxing world.”
Jimenez has been a beast at the Venue, finishing 8-0 with five knockouts in nine fights. He had one no-contest with Derrick Findley back on Sept. 13, 2013, when Findley’s drug test came back positive for a prohibited drug after the two went at it for the vacant UBF All-America super middleweight title.
Also making appearances on Saturday night will be undefeated Sammy Horowitz (2-0 2 KOs) against Simon Buetter (6-1, 3 KOs) in a four-round bout.
Harvey’s Jose Arambula (8-0, 3 KOs), super featherweight prospect Fidel Navarette (7-0-2, 4 KOs), super lightweight Romiro Carrillo (6-0, 3 KOs) and welterweight Will Coix (5-0, 5 KOs) will also be part of the 10-bout card Saturday night.
Tickets are still available at ticketmaster.com starting at $35. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first fight slated to start at 7 p.m.
Ryan Haskell is a freelance writer.
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