Gomez Fills In and Stops Hernandez : Late Replacement Has to Go Only Two Rounds at Irvine

Abe Gomez was working on short notice Thursday and he made even shorter work of Luis Hernandez in the main boxing event in front of about 1,000 at the Irvine Marriott.

Gomez was credited with a second-round knockout after the fight was stopped because of a gash over the left eye of Hernandez. The junior lightweight fight was scheduled for 10 rounds.

Gomez, of Los Angeles, had been training for a March 15 bout with Carlos Marquez. But a week ago, he got a call from promoter Don Fraser asking if he could step into Thursday’s bout.

Genaro Hernandez, the California super featherweight champion, was supposed to fight but hurt his hand training, and had to be replaced.

“I’m glad it was over quickly and that I didn’t get hurt,” Gomez said. “This all worked out OK.” Gomez said he will be ready for his March 15 fight.

Gomez is 13-2 with seven knockouts.

The fighters could not agree on how the cut started over Hernandez’s eye.

“It was a butt in about the first minute,” Hernandez said.

Gomez: “I very truly believe it was a right hook that got it started. We butted heads a few times but that was in the second round.”

None of three ringside judges said they saw a head butt.

Hernandez, of Redlands, falls to 11-7-5. He has never gone down for a 10-count.

“They can cut me and they can knock me down but they can’t knock me out,” he said.