BOXING IN IRVINE : Wangila Wins Rematch Against Hernandez

Robert Wangila established his plan almost before the opening bell stopped ringing and as a result, Will Hernandez couldn’t answer the tone to start the sixth round.

Wangila was credited with a fifth-round knockout in the middleweight main event Thursday at the Irvine Marriott.

It was the 15th knockout for Wangila (20-3), who won the gold medal in the welterweight division at the 1988 Olympics for Kenya. He now lives in Hollywood.

The victory was also a bit of redemption for Wangila, who had not fought in 15 months. He last bout was also against Hernandez (10-9), in Las Vegas. Hernandez won that one with an eighth-round knockout.

Wangila had that loss on his mind Thursday.

“I wanted to punish him for the last fight,” Wangila said. “I was very, very upset . . . I’m happy now.”

Wangila dominated the bout, winning each of the five rounds on all three judges’ cards.

He used a left jab to help set up a dominating right hand that allowed him to control the bout. Wangila sent Hernandez to the canvas at the end of Round 3 with a pair of crashing overhand rights.

He continued the assault and referee James Jen Kin was on the verge of stopping the bout late in the fifth round when Hernandez, of Sacramento, appeared unable to defend himself.

But Hernandez fought back in the final 20 seconds despite a bloody left eye that had been the target of Wangila’s sharp rights. The cuts around the eye were the reason Hernandez didn’t come out for the sixth round.

On the undercard:

Jose Herrera of Glendale won the eight-round semi-main event in a split decision over Gonzalo Ramirez of Azusa in the junior lightweight bout. Herrera won, 78-74, 77-76, and lost, 78-74.

Herrera (9-6) used a powerful left to score most of his points. He was most effective in the final 20 seconds of each round.

Ramirez is 8-5.