Ruelas, Cruz to Vie for NABF Featherweight Title

Unbeaten Rafael Ruelas of Arleta, who has easily punched his way through 24 opponents who all fell into the Who Are They? category, will get his first shot at a boxing name Sunday night when he fights for the vacant North American Boxing Federation featherweight championship at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

Ruelas, 19, will take on former World Boxing Assn. champion Stevie Cruz of Ft. Worth, Tex., a master boxer and counterpuncher who once ruled the 126-pound division.

But only briefly.

Cruz won the title with a stunning 15-round decision over tough Barry McGuigan of Ireland on June 23, 1986, but lost it just nine months later when he was knocked out in the 12th round by Antonio Esparragoza.

Cruz since has lost three more times in 10 bouts. He was beaten by journeyman Jeff Franklin later in 1987, lost to International Boxing Federation champion Jorge Paez in 1989 and then fell to unheralded Manuel Medina in 1990.

Cruz (35-5 with 19 knockouts), now the owner of something called the Continental Americas featherweight championship, has nowhere to go but up, which is in direct conflict with the plans of Ruelas, who intends to put Cruz down.

Ruelas, a whippet-like featherweight at 5-foot-10, packs power in both fists. He has not exhibited a world-class jab throughout his first two-dozen pro bouts but then he has not needed to. Using a crushing overhand right or a jolting, compact left hook, Ruelas has stretched out the majority of his opponents, winning 20 of his 24 fights by knockout.

He had a five-fight knockout streak halted in his most recent bout Feb. 26 when tough-jawed Vincente Gonzalez survived 10 rounds of hammering punches but lost a lopsided decision.

The same type of lopsided decision in the scheduled 12-round fight against Cruz would be OK, Ruelas said. However, he added that Cruz lying on his back would be better.

“I’m excited about this one,” said Ruelas, who is managed by Dan Goossen and the Ten Goose Boxing Club in Van Nuys and is trained by Joe Goossen. “A big fight on TV against a former world champion for the NABF title. (The bout, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., will be televised live by ESPN.) This is my next step toward a world title. Cruz has been around and has built a big name for himself in boxing. He’s been a world champion. But Cruz has had his time. This is my time.

“I can’t see it going 12 rounds. I think eventually I’ll get inside and bomb him. And when I do, when I wobble him, then I’ll go in and finish him.”

Ruelas has never fought 12 rounds, but against Gonzalez he was still fresh and punching furiously in the 10th and final round. And he said he is in even better shape for Cruz.

“If it somehow does go 12 rounds, I know I’m ready,” Ruelas said. “I’m in shape for it. Twelve rounds would be no big deal for me. But Cruz is 30 years old, and 12 rounds might be a very big deal for him.”

Joe Goossen is--if this is possible--even more confident than Ruelas.

“There’s no big secret about Stevie Cruz,” he said. “He has all the credentials to make this a good fight. But . . . we have prepared too well to lose.

“As for the style of Cruz and how Rafael will deal with it, well, I don’t even think that will be a factor. Let Cruz worry about Rafael’s style. Rafael will dictate the style and the pace of this fight.”