Vasquez Fights Jimenez in Rematch Tonight

Huntington Beach bantamweight Johnny Vasquez headlines tonight’s bouts at the Irvine Marriott, which begins its 12th season of professional boxing.

Vasquez (7-4 with five knockouts) was last year’s Marriott boxer of the year. He will face Jesus Jimenez (9-15-2 with three knockouts) of Jalisco, Mexico, in the eight-round main event. Jimenez upset Vasquez last July in a controversial eight-round decision.

In the semi-main event, Rosemead junior lightweight Rudy Zavala returns to the ring after a year’s absence. Zavala (24-5-2 with 20 knockouts), a former No. 1 contender who lost a world title bout to Kennedy McKinney in July of 1993, will fight Jalisco’s Carlos Rubio (10-2 with two knockouts).

Zavala’s last fight was a fifth-round loss to Jesse Magana, the World Boxing Organization’s No. 1 contender at 122 pounds, in January of 1995 at the Great Western Forum. A loss to Rubio could mean the end of Zavala’s once-promising career.

The most appealing undercard fight figures to be a six-round light heavyweight bout between Azusa’s Jerry Moran (5-0 with four knockouts) and Oakland’s Mike Doran (5-1 with three knockouts). Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show are $35, $30 and $25.