Decision to Retire Is One Ruelas Shouldn’t Fight

Rafael Ruelas has retired.

Not totally. Not enthusiastically. Not happily.

But wisely. He has come to accept what others have whispered behind his back, that, at 27, he is a shot fighter.

“I’m pretty much retired,” Ruelas said. “I’ve fought for many years. Thank God, I’m at the point where financially, I don’t have to fight.

“If it was a good fight with a good opponent where there was something to gain for me, like a title, then I would fight again. But I don’t want to stick around as a journeyman.”

Surely that’s what Ruelas would become if he remained in the ring.

There can be no doubt about that after his terrible performance against Kostya Tszyu in El Paso in June. The result was the fourth defeat of Ruelas’ 56-fight career.

With the other losses, there was always an asterisk added by the Ruelas camp, because:

* When Ruelas lost to Mauro Gutierrez in 1991, there was a mix-up in communication between Ruelas and his trainer, Joe Goossen. Ruelas was knocked down by Gutierrez but was clear-headed and able to continue. Goossen motioned for Ruelas to stay down and take advantage of the referee’s count to get back to full strength. But Ruelas, watching Goossen, miscalculated and got up an instant too late, resulting in his first defeat.

* When Ruelas lost to Oscar De La Hoya, knocked out in the second round of their 1995 fight, it was predictable and acceptable. Nobody has beaten De La Hoya, who can put in his claim as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

* When Ruelas lost his next fight to George Scott, there was concern about Ruelas’ future as a fighter. But his camp spun the story of how much trouble Ruelas had losing weight and how dehydrated he had become.

This time against Tszyu, there were no extenuating circumstances. Ruelas was in good shape and the proper frame of mind.

And he was still soundly beaten, from the opening bell until Goossen stepped into the ring 21 seconds into the ninth round and said his fighter had had enough. Ruelas threw two effective punches the whole fight.

No one can question Ruelas’ courage or the strength of his chin. And that’s the problem. Because he takes a punch so well and stays on his feet, Ruelas is the type of fighter who can get seriously hurt when his defenses are down and his punches have lost their snap.

“I didn’t have any major cuts in my career,” Ruelas said, “and I didn’t suffer any major injuries. That is what I’m most thankful for.”

And fortunately, it seems he’s not going to push his luck.

Ruelas might stay in the sport as a recruiter of young boxing talent, he might explore a future in television as a boxing commentator or he might pursue a college degree in business management.

It has been almost 15 years since he and his brother, Gabriel, knocked on the door of the old Ten Goose gym in North Hollywood to sell candy and wound up selling themselves as future fighters to a then-skeptical Goossen.

Because of his awkward style, Rafael has always had to face those who were skeptical of his ability. Yet he managed to win the International Boxing Federation lightweight title and provide himself with a solid financial future after growing up in poverty.

“What else could I ask for?” Ruelas said. “Life has been great for me.”

And it can remain great, just as long as he stays out of the ring.

A REAL TEST

Promoter Bob Arum and the various factions of the Ike Quartey camp, including his French, African and American handlers, completed a deal Friday that will put Quartey in a Las Vegas ring, at a still-to-be-determined site, against De La Hoya on Nov. 21.

A week ago, Dino Duva, who claimed control of Quartey, was insisting that he was pushing ahead with plans for a Quartey-Felix Trinidad fight in November and was threatening to throw a battery of attorneys at Arum if he interfered.

So what changed?

It became apparent to Duva that Trinidad wasn’t going to be able to pull completely free of his legal entanglements with promoter Don King in time.

And it became apparent to Quartey that it would be far smarter to fight De La Hoya for $4.6 million, the purse agreed on Friday, than it would be to face Trinidad for $1.9 million. De La Hoya will receive between $10 and $12 million for the Quartey fight.

Quartey was stripped of his World Boxing Assn., welterweight crown last week for failing to sign for a mandatory challenge, but he is still important to De La Hoya because he is recognized as a worthy opponent, something De La Hoya hasn’t had since facing Pernell Whitaker in April 1997.

QUICK JABS

Nick Martinez (9-0, four knockouts) faces Agustin Renteria (9-21-5, three knockouts) for the state middleweight title tonight at 7 the L.A. Fitness Center in Woodland Hills. . . . As if the Evander Holyfield-Vaughn Bean heavyweight title fight didn’t have enough trouble attracting attention, it has now been overshadowed by Mike Tyson. Holyfield will defend against Bean, who brings new meaning to the term tomato can, at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on Sept. 19. That’s the same day Tyson will get his hearing in Las Vegas before the Nevada State Athletic Commission in his bid to regain his boxing license. Tyson’s hearing, which he is expected to attend, comes one day after De La Hoya-Julio Cesar Chavez II, which also will be in Las Vegas. That will put the boxing spotlight on Las Vegas and leave Holyfield-Bean in the background, right where it belongs.

CALENDAR

Tonight--Nick Martinez vs. Agustin Renteria, state middleweight title, L.A. Fitness Center, 7.