BOXING : Rabanales to Defend WBC Title at Forum

Bantamweight Victor Rabanales of Mexico City will make the second defense of his World Boxing Council title when he faces Changkyun Oh of Seoul, South Korea, in a 12-round bout tonight at 7 at the Forum.

Rabanales, 28, won the 118-pound title over Korean Yonghoon Lee at the Forum in March. He has a 31-10-2 record with 18 knockouts, but is 17-1-1 in his last 19 fights.

Oh, 30-4-4 with 13 knockouts and the WBC’s top-ranked contender, is making his first appearance in the United States and has not lost in his last 16 fights.

The winner has agreed to fight former champion Joichiro Tatsuyoshi in September.

Also on the card will be World Boxing Assn. bantamweight champion Eddie Cook of Las Vegas, who will make his Southern California debut against Pedro Rabago of Mexico in a 10-round bout.

Cook, 25, is 17-1 with 15 knockouts and is fighting for the first time since winning the title in March. Cook was ranked No. 9 by the WBC when he defeated Isreal Contreras for the title with a fifth- round knockout.

Provided he beats Rabago (18-12-2), Cook will make his first title defense against unbeaten No. 1-ranked Eliecer Julic in September in Bogota, Columbia.

In another 10-round bout tonight, unbeaten lightweight David Sample of Las Vegas (18-0, six knockouts) will face Roberto Burgos of Mexico (12-4, nine knockouts). Sample, 23, is trained by Eddie Futch and is coming off a 10-round decision over Ramon Zavala at the Forum in May.