LAS VEGAS -- The one place Johnny Tapia could always go to find solace from a personal life seemingly filled with tragedy was the boxing ring -- until June 26, 1999.

Tapia, a former two-time world champion, hopes to avenge his lone loss in the ring when he battles WBA bantamweight champion Paulie Ayala Saturday night in a rematch at a catchweight of 124 pounds of what many touted as 1999s "Fight of the Year".

Tapia (48-1-2, 25 KOs) had been unbeaten in 47 career bouts over 12 years despite a troublesome life outside the ring. The Albuquerque, New Mexico native's father was murdered prior to his birth and he lost his mother to a heinous kidnapping, rape, hanging and stabbing at the age of eight.

Banned from boxing for 3½ years because of his cocaine addiction and in and out of jail for various offense, the one thing Tapia did not have any trouble with was his opponents in the ring. But Ayala changed all that in their memorable war in Las Vegas nearly 15 months ago.

Ayala (30-1, 12 KOs), 30, of Fort Worth, Texas, applied continual pressure, taking full advantage of his second career title bout -- he suffered a controversial loss in his bid for the WBC bantamweight crown against Jocihiro Tatsuyoshi in Aug. 1998.

The fight against Tatsuyoshi was stopped in the sixth round after the fighters collided heads and the champion was unable to continue, last June in Las Vegas, nothing seemed capable of stopping Ayala from claiming his first title.

Tapia, who appears to have finally found peace outside the ring, was unable to stave off Ayala's rallies and found himself on the losing end of a unanimous decision (115-114, 116-113, 116-113).

"Tapia brought out the best in me," Ayala said. "That was the only way I could win, by fighting my best fight ever. I definitely won the fight. I dicated the action. I had better ring generalship and I was the affective aggressor."

The 33-year-old Tapia watched as Ayala earned The Ring Magazine's coveted "Fighter of the Year" award for 1999 before defending his new title twice, including a hard-fought 12-round majority decision over Johnny Brendahl on March 4 in Las Vegas.

"Being named 'Fighter of the Year' is the equivalent of being named the Most Valuable Player of the National Foootball League or Major League Baseball, or winning the Heisman Trophy," Ayala said. "It means I am the best of the best of that year, the best of all the fighters in all weight divisions."

After a brief break from boxing, Tapia, now dedicated to a clean and sober lifestyle, returned to defeat Jorge Eliecer Julio in January and Argentina's Javier Torres on May 6, setting up Saturday's clash.

Capable of non-stop barrages with both fists, Tapia will likely try to jump on Ayala, hoping to avenge the lone blemish of his brilliant career. But he will have to harness and control his emotions against the equally well-conditioned and fearless southpaw Ayala, who can take advantage of a fighter fueled more by emotion than reason.

On the undercard, undefeated WBA flyweight champion Eric Morel (27-0, 16 KOs) of Puerto Rico makes his first defense since knocking off Thailand's Sornipichai Pisnurachank on August 5 in his adoptive hometon of Madison, Wis. He meets late replacement Gilberto Keb-Baas (17-6-1, 11 KOs).

A member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, Morel won a unanimous decision against Pisnurachank for his firt world title, knocking his opponent down in the second round and controlling the fight thereafter.

Morel was orginally schedule to meet battle mandatory challenger Jose Bonilla, but the Venezuelean was forced to pull out the fight due to visa problems on Tuesday.