RING BROTHERS GET THEIR GLOVES ON.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL Boxing

They have an abundance of experience and accomplishments. They're only 31 and 30. They say they're hungry. And they're back.

Gabriel and Rafael Ruelas, East Valley products who won the fans' affection with their class and exciting rise to world championships in the '90s, are giving boxing one more go.

Gabriel, who has been training for a year, plans to fight within a few months; Rafael is just getting back to the gym after shoulder surgery.

``I'm doing this because of the love I have for the sport. I'm not happy without it,'' Gabriel said.

Gabriel, 31, admits he never was the same fighter after he delivered the punches that killed Jimmy Garcia in 1995. Since the tragedy, he is only 6-4 (47-6 in his career).

And his most recent bouts - for which he said he was ill-prepared - gave no indication he'd found the golden touch of his youth. He outpointed no names Pedro Garcia and Jose Alfonso Rodriguez and lost to novice Manuel Garnica between August 1999 and last March.

That, it appeared, was the end of a remarkable career. However, Gabriel couldn't stay away from the gym.

Light workouts (to stave off extra pounds) evolved into a few sparring sessions and the sparring sessions evolved into in-the-gym wars with some big-name active fighters, including lightweight contender Juan Lazcano.

Ruelas liked the way he felt - and the positive comments he heard.

``At first I thought, `Well, maybe I'm fooling myself,' '' he said. ``... Then people would say, `Man, when are you gonna fight?' I'd say, `I'm not fighting anymore. I just training for the sake of training.'

``Then I'd hear, `You look good, you look good.' And I felt great.''

The Ruelases are not entrusting their comebacks to trainer Joe Goossen and promoter Dan Goossen, who guided them to their world championships.

The Goossens are busy with other, rising fighters and apparently harbor the same doubts as many observers about the Ruelases' return. Thus, they turned to others with less experience but a lot of enthusiasm.

Gabriel met businessman Mike Rubinstein at a gym and hired him as his manager while Rafael and Rubinstein are negotiating a contract. Rubinstein's friend, trainer Phil Paolina, works with both fighters.

Gabriel said he doesn't see why he wouldn't work with Dan Goossen if his career takes off.

``Mike was motivated to work with me,'' Gabriel said. ``No one had shown me that. He believed in me. ... And I like Phil. He pushes me; not like Joe, but he pushes me.

``He's excited to go where I've already been - and I like that.''

Gabriel is taking a sensible approach to his comeback: no big-name opponents until he's ready.

He said he's more motivated than he can remember and is not far from his fighting weight of 135 pounds as the result of a strict workout schedule. At the same time, he's nowhere near ready for a championship fight.

That might come eventually, he said, but he won't rush it.

``I'm not that blind,'' he said. ``... I'm not going to step into the ring with a (Floyd) Mayweather right now. A lot of guys would say OK right away because of the money.

``I don't want that. I want to feel I have a good shot at winning.''

Rubinstein feels the same way.

``We're not rushing anything,'' he said. ``We want him just to get his feet wet. He'll probably fight in the next couple of months. Rafael is just starting. We don't know when he's going to fight.''

The comeback of Rafael Ruelas, 30, will elicit some audible groans.

Ruelas, who recently bought a home in Canoga Park, is coming off a disputed decision over journeyman Hicklet Lau in August of 1999 and took a bad beating from Kostya Tszyu in his previous fight a year before that.

Many observers believe Rafael has taken enough punches - particularly because he has a lot going on outside boxing.

For example, he became a licensed financial planner, earned a real estate license, is in the process of buying a restaurant and is a Spanish-language liaison with Dan Goossen's new company, Goossen Tutor Promotions.

However, like his brother, the sport remains in his blood.

He had surgery on his shoulder in August and nearly is recovered. He said he feels particularly strong because of his hiatus - he's fought only once in almost five years - and the rebuilt shoulder.

He also speaks with more bravado than his brother. He fully expects to take a few ``tuneup'' fights and then challenge for another world championship.

He'd even like to face Tszyu again.

``The day I lost to Tszyu, in the dressing room, Joe and other people were telling me I should retire,'' Rafael said. ``I said, `No, I'm fine.' I'll just take a little break, take some time off, and then announce a comeback.

``... I know there'll be a lot of critics. There'll also be people happy to see us back. I'm excited. I'm doing this because I believe in myself.''

--Coming up: Joe Mesi will face Keith McKnight on Friday in Buffalo, N.Y., on ESPN2. Also on the card, John Michael Johnson will take on Carlos Leaon.

Also Friday, on Telefutura, Diego Morales will face Bobby Boy Velardez in Tijuana, Mexico.

On Sunday, on Fox, Johnny Gonzalez will face Ricardo Vargas in a 12-round bantamweight fight at Soboba Casino in San Jacinto.

On April 9, Antwun Echols will take on Kabary Salem in a 12-round super middleweight bout in Rosemont., Ill., on ESPN2.

On April 13, on Showtime, Fres Oquendo will fight David Tua in a 12-round heavyweight bout in Chester, W.Va.

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Photo:

(color) East Valley brothers Gabriel, left, and Rafael Ruelas, both former world champions, will get back into boxing.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News