LOST TITLE FIGHT SPURS RUELAS ON.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL Boxing

Out of nowhere, Gabriel Ruelas had a world title shot seven-plus years after he last held one. He was scheduled to challenge for Acelino Freitas' WBA junior lightweight belt Saturday.

Then, just as swiftly as it came, the opportunity was gone. Showtime's Jay Larkin, apparently swayed by criticism in the media, decided Ruelas had been too inactive and had fought too poorly in recent fights.

The former WBC junior lightweight champ and Valley product had passed a battery of medical tests to prove he was fit to fight and was only days away from opening training camp in Big Bear when he was told he was out in favor of Juan Carlos Ramirez.

Ruelas, 32, was devastated. His manager, Mike Rubinstein, was angry.

``I think Gabe was made an example of,'' Rubinstein said. ``Showtime made a statement: No more mismatches. They thought it would be another night of bad programming.

``... I respect Jay and his take on this but totally disagree with it. I can't imagine Ramirez will be around too long fighting Freitas.''

Ruelas got over it fairly quickly, actually turning the negative into a positive.

He said he drifted back into boxing after taking a sabbatical in 2000 because he missed it, not because he expected a big-money shot at winning another championship. He was happy simply to fight and make a few bucks.

However, this experience - even though it ended in disappointment - gave him hope that one day he could strut onto boxing's center stage at least one more time.

``I figured I might as well fight because I couldn't stay out of the gym anyway,'' said Ruelas, who fights Courtney Burton in a 10-round bout March 24 in Lafayette, La. ``Then all of a sudden came this big opportunity. I never thought it would happen. It made me think that I was still on people's minds.

``They might've thought it was an easy fight (for Freitas). Regardless, they thought of me. That woke me up. I know now it's possible to get a big fight.''

Ruelas understands the criticism.

He gave his last memorable performance in a war with Arturo Gatti in 1997, in which Gatti survived a near-knockout to stop Ruelas in the fifth round.

Since then, Ruelas has fought only seven times in five-plus years, going 5-2. He was stopped in eight rounds by John Brown in 1998, outpointed by journeyman Manuel Garnica the next year and beat no one of significance.

Ruelas hasn't fought a 10-rounder since the Garnica fight. His past three fights were scheduled for eight, six and six rounds against nobodies, which fed the criticism.

At the same time, Ruelas believes he's underestimated.

He certainly isn't old and has experienced little wear and tear on his body because of his inactivity. He also never took a sustained beating, even in knockout losses to Gatti and Azumah Nelson.

And he claims he was nowhere near his best in the losses to Brown and Garnica.

Ruelas was geared up for a rematch with James Leija, but Leija pulled out and was replaced at the last minute by Brown, whom Ruelas never had heard of. He came in flat because of the disappointment and underestimated a good fighter.

Against Garnica, who ran much of the fight, Ruelas had no trainer in his corner. His brother, fighter Rafael Ruelas, acted as his second.

And, finally, those who have followed Ruelas' career closely know two things. One, he's always been at his best in big fights and has struggled to find motivation in less-meaningful fights. And, two, he turned himself into a brawler to please fans when he's a boxer by nature.

He said last week that he, with the help of new trainer Jesse Reid, plans to emulate the Gabriel Ruelas who boxed the ears off a then-unbeaten Leija to win the championship in 1994.

Reid, who has worked with Ruelas since November, likes what he sees.

``He's so skilled,'' said Reid, who has worked with many top fighters. ``I didn't realize how good of a boxer he is. ... I think he would've surprised a lot of people (against Freitas). He's a lot better fighter than people give him credit for at this stage of life.

``He's a young 32. You'll see.''

Is all that tough to swallow? Ruelas' critics will say so, but he knows one way to change their minds.

``I gotta show them,'' he said. ``And the only way I can show them is by getting an opportunity to fight a Freitas or someone like that.''

--Klitschko-Sanders: Maybe now people will see that Wladimir Klitschko - and brother Vitali, for that matter - is nothing special.

Wladimir was knocked out by 37-year-old Corrie Sanders in the second round Saturday. In all, he went down four times and hardly looked like a legitimate challenger to Lennox Lewis.

Klitschko might bounce back and win a world title, but he never will be in Lewis' class.

--Correction: The result of the Feb. 8 Shane Mosley-Raul Marquez fight was incorrect in last week's column. The fight was declared no contest when Marquez could not continue because of cuts.

--Almost done: Oscar De La Hoya and Mosley reportedly are near an agreement on a rematch for Sept. 13.

COMING UP

Tonight

--David Donis vs. Edel Ruiz, super bantamweights, Laredo, Texas, Fox Sports World.

Friday

--Eric Regan vs. Rito Ruvalcaba, Oroville, Calif., Telemundo.

Saturday

--Acelino Freitas vs. Jual Carlos Ramirez, for Freitas' WBA super featherweight title, Chicago, Showtime.

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COMING UP (see text)