Early 90's flashback - Goosen backed Rafael Ruelas climbs the lightweight rankings

I remember a boxing magazine had Gabriel and Rafael on the cover....It read ONE'S DURAN (Gabby) ONE'S Arguello (Rafa)
That was a bit of a stretch and considerable pressure. I Do think Gab Ruelas had some potential to be great. He was a better athlete than his brother and more coordinated. He had suffered an arm injury that never healed properly. He had nothing in his right.

 

I was wrong. It was the second round and it was from two left hooks.

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A little bit of both. He was clear-headed like Quarry, but the outside influence was Goosen like Duva.

 

To be fair, Gabe did drop Leija twice with rights in winning the title.

 

I always thought Rafael was the ‘made’ or ‘created’ fighter and Gabe was the ‘gifted’ or ‘natural’ fighter.

Seems to me RR had to work for everything he got. I mean he put punches together like he was taught to do so through drilling and drilling and practice and practice, but it didn’t come natural to him. No real rhythm for fighting. Just keep plugging away until something would go right for him. Even when it was going his way, it never looked easy for him.

Gabe seemed like he was born to box, everything just flowed. One of those guys who probaby ‘got it’ from the first day he walked into a gym.

That’s not a knock, just that Rafael got what he got through wanting it bad enough to keep at it while Gabe was more the savant of the two.

 

I always liked Rafael Ruelas. He was a likeable guy with some obvious flaws and frailties but that's what made him an exciting fighter. I thought the fight with De La Hoya would be competitive but Oscar just crushed him. I don't think he really recovered from that.

 

Ok maybe I'm thinking of the wrong hand?

 

No, you are correct, it was his right elbow that was wrenched when his opponent fouled him, and he did loop his right hand punches after that. He caught Leija twice with right uppercut-ish punches.