RAMOS DOING RIGHT BY BOXERS.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL Boxing

The RBF is one of boxing's jumble of three-lettered organizations we can feel good about.

Alex Ramos, the indefatigable former fighter who started the Retired Boxers Foundation a few years ago to help down-and-out boxers, appears to be on his way to providing a much needed safety net for those in need.

The RBF's Inaugural Gala and Awards Benefit is scheduled for Dec. 10 at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, a kickoff fundraiser that Ramos and those working with him hope will bring in $300,000 and allow the organization to begin providing substantial benefits.

Ramos and others already are providing some counseling to needy former fighters and are in contact with similar upstart organizations in an effort to pool resources.

Ultimately, however, he plans to help establish a meaningful pension and drug and alcohol rehabilitation services, medical services, youth boxing programs and - perhaps Ramos' biggest dream - a village for homeless boxers.

Ramos plans to hold a second awards dinner in Puerto Rico next year on what he calls his ``World Tour.''

``I'm working hard because there are a lot of fighters on the street out there, champions. They're lost out there,'' Ramos said.

Ramos, a member of the 1980 Olympic team that wasn't allowed to compete in Moscow and a former championship contender, was a down-and-out fighter himself.

He fell victim to drugs and alcohol and ultimately ended up in prison for 22 months for assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment involving an ex-girlfriend in 1988.

He subsequently beat his addictions, found religion and discovered a passion - the RBF. His unbounded enthusiasm and bottomless reservoir of energy have inspired all those who have worked with him - all volunteers - since the project began.

He has received the endorsement of many big names in the boxing and entertainment businesses, including Hugh Hefner.

He has also received assistance from a few dozen volunteers. Among them: doctors, psychologists, lawyers, computer experts, event organizers and fundraisers.

The most significant volunteer has been grant writer Jacqueline Richardson, who has worked virtually full-time with Ramos to put together the awards dinner. Richardson has provided the expertise that has allowed the dinner to become a reality.

``She believes in what I'm doing,'' Ramos said.

A lot of people do. But Ramos and others like him have a long way to go. The boxing community will have to play a major role if the pension is going to become a reality. The role of the RBF will be to lobby the powers that be to set aside a portion of every purse for the pension fund.

And he's going to need a lot of money to initiate significant services.

But the dinner is a start.

Ramos is expecting at least 50 former and current champions and many boxing officials and members of the media, most of whom have expressed support and admiration for Ramos' efforts.

``If this even goes exactly as we want, if we're able to raise $300,000, that would be ideal. We'd be able to help a lot of people,'' Richardson said.

``It's difficult, though. We have to demonstrate we're able to pull this off first. That's why this event is so important.''

Tyson's big day: The Nevada Supreme Court is expected to rule today on whether to allow only the Nevada State Athletic Commission to see the fighter's psychological records.

Tyson's advisers have said they will submit the records to the commission even if the court rules against Tyson because the commission must receive them by 5 p.m. if it is to consider his request to be re-licensed on Oct. 19, as planned.

Also today, Tyson is scheduled to go on trial for allegedly assaulting two men in a Washington D.C. suburb, although his lawyers are trying to settle out of court.

These two events will determine whether he receives his license.

More Tyson: Given the fact Tyson's life has been an open book, his advisers' efforts to keep his records from the public are curious.

How could he possibly be more embarrassed?

Bad luck: Gabriel Ruelas, the former WBC super featherweight champ from Sylmar, lost a big opportunity when James Leija had to pull out of their Oct. 24 matchup because of a rib injury.

Ruelas defeated Leija to win the title. A rematch would have grabbed the attention of the boxing world, which is the goal of all fighters.

Ruelas' handlers are looking for another opponent.

``I'm pretty disappointed,'' Ruelas said. ``But with all the experience I have, all the fights I've had, I've gone through this before. What can you do? You just go on.

``I'm ready to fight whoever they get me.''

Ruelas doesn't want to face a big-name opponent, in part because he had geared up for Leija.

More Ruelas: Many fighters are angling for a shot at undefeated WBC 130-pound champ Sugar Shane Mosley.

Among the possibilities: The winner of the Angel Manfredy-Floyd Mayweather match was to face the Ruelas-Leija winner for a shot at Mosley. That could mean Ruelas will face the Manfredy-Mayweather winner for another opportunity to fight for a world championship - if everything goes his way.

Viva la difference?: A New Jersey judge forbade the WBA from awarding its vacant welterweight title to the winner of this past Saturday's welterweight bout between No. 1 contender Andrei Pestriaev and No. 3 James Page, won by Page.

Then, a day before the fight, a judge in Paris, France - the site of the fight - overturned the decision.Uh, what about No. 2 Jose Luis Lopez?

Lopez challenged the sanctioning, and rightfully so: Again, the credibility of boxing has suffered.It's no surprise that Page's promoter is Don King.

``It's just another case of King trying to ram something down the throat of boxing,'' Dino Duva, Lopez's promoter, said before the Paris judge's decision.

The WBA title was vacated by Ike Quartey, who will face WBC champ Oscar De La Hoya on Nov. 21.

COMING UP

Friday: On ESPN2, Israel Cardona faces Golden Johnson for Cardona's USBA and Johnson's NABF lightweight tiles in Miami.

Saturday: On Univision, Eric Morel faces Enrique Orozco in a 10-round flyweight bout in Mesquite, Nev.

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