BROWN POSES CHALLENGE AS RUELAS SEEKS TITLE SHOT.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer

Gabriel Ruelas of Sylmar could be a step away from another title shot.

If John Brown's performance against Angel Manfredy last month is any indication, it's a challenging step.

Ruelas (45-4, with 23 knockouts) and Brown (18-5, 9) will meet on the undercard of the David Reid-James Coker super welterweight fight tonight in Atlantic City, N.J., with the winner likely to face the winner of the Dec. 19 fight between Manfredy and WBC super featherweight champion Floyd Mayweather.

Ruelas was scheduled to fight James Leija, from whom he took the WBC title in 1994. However, Brown was called in when Leija injured his ribs in training.

Brown, an aggressive, skillful boxer with limited power, lost a unanimous but close decision to Manfredy on Sept. 22.

``I'm happy John took Leija's place,'' Ruelas said. ``Leija likes to move around and try to outbox people, but John comes right after you. . . . I don't like chasing after a fighter.''

Meanwhile, Brown, who is from Atlantic City, wants redemption in the wake of the Manfredy disappointment.

``This is actually really good timing for John,'' said David Appollonia, Brown's manager. ``He's been chomping at the bit to get another opportunity because of the resentment over his last fight.''

Reid (10-0, 7 KOs), America's only Olympic champion in 1996, and Coker (19-0, 12) are both undefeated.

Also on the card, Robert Garcia of Oxnard will defend his IBF junior lightweight title against Ramon Ledon. The card will be televised live on HBO.