Nelson Bouts Link Gabriel Ruelas, Leija

Gabriel Ruelas got to Azumah Nelson first, but couldn’t finish him off. Jesse James Leija got Nelson next, and, after a draw, convincingly ended boxing’s longest reign last May in their rematch.

So now, Sylmar’s Ruelas (38-2, 21 knockouts) and Leija will fight tonight on the Julio Cesar Chavez-Meldrick Taylor undercard at the MGM Grand Garden for Leija’s World Boxing Council junior-lightweight title. And Azumah Nelson is the name both fighters mention to bolster their cases.

After piling up an early lead, Ruelas seemed to lose focus, then lost a decision to Nelson in February of 1993.

“I feel much more comfortable, much more relaxed than the first title fight,” said Ruelas, who will earn $200,000 for the bout. “I guess it’s the experience. It’s not that I was nervous the first one against Nelson, it’s just that you get anxious.”

Leija, after piling up an early lead in September of 1993, coasted in the late rounds, and Nelson got a draw. Then, last May, the crafty, counterpunching Leija corrected his mistake and defeated Nelson by unanimous decision for the WBC belt.

“You take Azumah Nelson away from both our records and Ruelas hasn’t fought anybody even close to what I’ve fought,” Leija said. “I think that’s in his mind, and I think that’s going to play a big part in this fight.

“Ruelas, he’s always coming forward, he’s always charging. He throws his punches wide. He’s always trying to knock you out with that left hook, just like Azumah.”

Ruelas, 24, who is seeking to join his brother, Rafael, the International Boxing Federation lightweight champion, as brother world champions, concedes that he hasn’t fought nearly as many contenders as the 28-year-old Leija has, and says he hopes Leija, who will earn $400,000, is taking him lightly.

“If you want excuses, you can always find them,” said Ruelas, emphasizing that he has proved he can overcome anything by coming back from a broken elbow in 1990.

“Fine, you say you’ve fought more name guys. Yeah, he has. But in a way that’s helping me, because why would he train hard for a guy who hasn’t fought the guys he’s fought?”

Joe Goossen, Ruelas’ trainer, pointing to Leija’s background as a 126-pounder, says that his fighter, who weighs in the 140s when he’s not in training, is too strong for the champion.

“He’s bigger, stronger,” Goossen said. “I think you’re going to see Leija giving Gabriel a lot of respect. I just think Gabriel’s that much stronger.”

Other title bouts on the pay-per-view card:

--Former WBC junior-welterweight champion Frankie Randall (49-3-1, 39 KOs) vs. World Boxing Assn. champion Juan Coggi (66-2-2, 40 KOs): Randall was a 17-1 underdog who ended Chavez’s unbeaten string last January, then appeared well on his way to making it two for two last May when a bizarre head-butt stoppage gave Chavez back the title.

Randall, 32, desperately wants another chance to beat Chavez again, but promoter Don King has chosen to put that one off for a while, promising Randall a third fight in December or January if he beats the left-handed Coggi, 33, and Chavez beats Meldrick Taylor.

--WBC welterweight champion Felix Trinidad (23-0, 19 KOs) vs. No. 1 contender Yory Boy Campas (56-0, 50 KOs): Trinidad, 21, is coming off a nine-month layoff but is one of the most talented, hardest-hitting young champions in the sport.

Though Campas, 23, has never faced anyone at Trinidad’s level, he has been too rough and too persistent for everybody previously.

Calendar

Thursday: Rudy Zavala vs. John Roby, junior-featherweights; Irvine Marriott, 7:30 p.m.