Despite Setback, Rafael Ruelas Says He Has Some Fight Left

Two weeks after a crushing defeat left his boxing career on the ropes, Rafael Ruelas said he has no plans to throw in the towel.

Still, Ruelas, who started boxing at age 12, admits the thought has crossed his mind. And understandably so.

Ruelas, 27, former International Boxing Federation lightweight champion, was soundly defeated Aug. 15 by Kostya Tszyu, who won every round before scoring a ninth-round technical knockout in a title-elimination bout before a pay-per-view audience at El Paso, Texas.

While Tszyu, 21-1-1 with 17 knockouts, likely will fight Miguel Angel Gonzalez this fall for the vacant World Boxing Council super-lightweight title, Ruelas, 52-4, is left to contemplate his future.

The loss was Ruelas’ second since losing his title to Oscar De La Hoya in May 1995. In some ways, the loss to Tszyu might be the most devastating for Ruelas.

Even Joe Goossen, Ruelas’ longtime trainer who stepped in and stopped the bout with his helpless fighter on the ropes, wondered aloud after the bout if perhaps the fight should be Ruelas’ last.

This week, Ruelas was relaxing and mulling his options at his Studio City home.

“If you saw me today, you’d see that I’m back to normal,” Ruelas said. “I told my wife and other family members that I’ve had fights where I’ve been in more pain. I’ve had it more painful in fights I’ve won.

“I trained very hard and I was very confident. I was looking forward to the fight. I was expecting him to stay in front of me more and fight. But he was moving and counterpunching and I couldn’t catch him. He caught me with some good shots.”

Age might also be catching up with Ruelas, who turned pro at 18. Under the guidance of Goossen, Ruelas, along with brother Gabriel, rose to prominence, thanks largely to tenacity. Ruelas was knocked down on more than one occasion early in his career, only to get up and rally to win.

Ruelas won his title with a 12-round decision against Freddie Pendleton at the Forum in 1994, a fight in which he was knocked down twice in the first 90 seconds.

But since losing to De La Hoya, he has been traversing a long road back to title contention.

Now, the road seems even longer.

Ruelas is aware he may never again position himself for a title fight. But he also knows he still loves to fight.

“It might not sound likely, and maybe it isn’t, but if I get a really good offer for a really good fight, I would jump on it,” Ruelas said. “But I’m not in the position now where I have to go out and fight. I’ve made some good money and I’ve saved some money.

“I’ve lived a pretty clean life and I’m going to stay in shape. I’m not depressed by any means.”

With the career he has had, Ruelas has no reason to be. Nor it seems, does he have any more reason to fight.

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Prizefighting returns to Warner Center tonight with a program of unheralded, up-and-coming fighters at L.A. Fitness Center in Woodland Hills.

But how long will it last?

Promoter Robert Valdez of Oxnard has had lukewarm success staging low-budget cards throughout Ventura County over the last 1 1/2 years. But he has drifted between venues in search of the ideal arena.

Valdez envisions L.A. Fitness Center, which will erect an outdoor boxing ring on a lighted outdoor tennis court, as a permanent home to present bouts, ideally every month. Capacity is 1,500 and Valdez said this week he has sold at least 600 tickets.

History, however, does not bode well for Valdez.

Promoters Peter Broudy and Gerrie Coetzee tried and failed to sustain a significant following in separate stints at the Warner Center Marriott between 1994 and 1996.

Roy Englebrecht, who for years has presented successful boxing shows at the Irvine Marriott, has twice contemplated staging fights in the Valley only to reconsider.

At the Warner Center Marriott, spectators paid $120 for a ringside seat in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom, which routinely went unfilled.

Valdez’s philosophy of keeping expenses down--from ticket prices ($20 to $40) to fighters’ purses--works in his favor. A card filled with no-names might not.

The six-bout card tonight features Nick Martinez of Whittier (9-0, five knockouts) and Augustin Renteria in an eight-round main event for the vacant California middleweight title. Heavyweight Victor Ortiz of Simi Valley is scheduled, as well as a women’s bout.

First bell at 7:30.