Gabriel Ruelas Sizes Up Another Belt Tonight
Gabriel Ruelas, who learned to box at Ten Goose Boxing in Van Nuys, will try to win a second world title tonight when he challenges Arturo Gatti for the International Boxing Federation junior-lightweight championship at Atlantic City, N.J.
The bout is on the undercard of the World Boxing Council heavyweight title fight between Lennox Lewis and Andrew Golota.
The undercard also includes an eight-round welterweight bout between former U.S. Olympian Fernando Vargas of Oxnard and Alex Quiroga of Miami.
Ruelas, 44-3 with 23 knockouts, is one victory away from completing a comeback. He lost his WBC junior-lightweight title to Azumah Nelson on a fifth-round knockout in December 1995.
It was Ruelas’ first bout since the ill-fated fight against Jimmy Garcia, who died as a result of Ruelas’ blows in a 10-round knockout loss in May 1995.
If Ruelas wins, he probably will fight WBC champion Genaro Hernandez, who defeated Nelson for the title.
Vargas, 19, will try for a seventh consecutive knockout victory since he turned pro in March. Quiroga is 9-2-2 with four knockouts.
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