RUELAS BELIEVES, BUT OTHERS DON'T.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer

It's not that people don't respect Rafael Ruelas. They do. They just don't like tonight's title-elimination bout against Kostya Tszyu in El Paso, Texas.

Ruelas, some believe, was exposed in a second-round knockout loss to Oscar De La Hoya and a subsequent points defeat against George Scott in 1995. Since then, some have said he has declined even though he's 9-0 (eight knockouts) since fighting Scott.

They're afraid he might get hurt against a fighter of Tszyu's presumed ability and power. Tszyu is a 3-1 favorite in Las Vegas.

Ruelas' reaction? Just watch the fight.

``I've heard the same comments,'' Ruelas said from his training camp in a steamy-hot, non-air-conditioned gym in the Coachella Valley, which has a similar climate to that of El Paso. ``What's my response? Hard work, dedicating myself 100 percent. And on (Saturday) I'll prove them wrong.

``They don't know what I've gone through, what my training has been like. They'll see.''

Ruelas' doubters say he has lost something, that he's looked very ordinary against mediocre opponents. Rumor has it he has even been pushed around in sparring. A possible reason? Ruelas, a very aggressive boxer, has taken a lot of punches in his 55 fights (52-3, 42 KOs).

Some have even suggested that he's beginning to slur his words, a sure sign that a fighter has had enough.

Ruelas and his trainer, Joe Goossen, are baffled by such contentions. A loss to De La Hoya is no disgrace. And the fight against Scott was close.

Since then, he has dispatched eight of his nine opponents in an average of 3.4 rounds while remaining among the top-ranked fighters in his weight class.

And while Ruelas admits he's not a defense-first fighter, how many times has he taken a beating in his career? Zero. The two times he was stopped, he was knocked down by Mauro Gutierrez and lost track of the count while De La Hoya essentially put him away with one big left hook.

The suggestions about his speech are particularly curious. He said he might stumble over his words occasionally on television, but he and Goossen don't believe his speech has deteriorated. (Ruelas showed no signs of speech impairment during a half-hour interview.)

``That (speech) is something I keep a close eye on,'' Ruelas said. ``That's supposedly one of the signs that it's time to move on. Well, I haven't noticed anything. If it were a problem, I would walk away.''

Ruelas believes he's a better fighter today than he's ever been. He has the experience, several years of weight lifting has enhanced his strength and he and Goossen have worked fastidiously on his most conspicuous weakness: his balance.

If nothing else, certainly his intensity has not waned. Anyone who has been in the ring with him will attest that he's like a human swarm of bees.

Welterweight contender Oba Carr, who has sparred with Ruelas in preparation for tonight's bout and could face De La Hoya in November, expected to plow through his lighter sparring partner (Carr fights at 147 pounds, Ruelas 140). He didn't. He came away impressed with Ruelas the boxer and Ruelas the person.

``It's ridiculous,'' Carr said of the critical talk. ``I think I'm the best welterweight in the world right now and he held his own with me. He's durable, strong. Man, he digs to the body. He's all of that. And I thought I was gonna walk all over him.

``I also saw the way he presented himself, his personality. This man must be respected, he must. I think (today's bout is) going to be a very good fight.''

If Ruelas beats Tszyu, he'll face Miguel Angel Gonzalez for the vacant WBC super-lightweight title before the end of the year. He also will have made it very difficult to dismiss him as a legitimate force in his weight class.

``All I care about is that he gets to be champion of the world again,'' Goossen said. ``You never get respect from people. There's too much jealousy out there.

``The fact is, Raf respects himself, I respect Raf and the guy standing in front of him in the ring had better respect Raf.''

RUELAS vs. TSZYU

Who: Rafael Ruelas of Studio City (52-3, 42 KOs) faces Kostya Tszyu (20-1-1, 16 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight (140 pounds) bout in El Paso, Texas.

TV: Pay-per-view (first televised bout at 6 p.m.).

Stakes: The winner will face Miguel Angel Gonzalez for the vacant WBC super lightweight championship before the end of the year.

Also fighting: WBC featherweight champion Luisito Espinosa is defending his title against Juan Carlos Ramirez.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: A thermometer testifies to the conditions Rafael Ruelas endured in the Coachella Valley preparing for tonight's bout.

Bill Caplan/Associated Press

Box: RUELAS vs. TSZYU (See Text)