BOXING : Ruelas Makes Short Work of Cruz in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS —  Trainer Don Gorman, whose featherweight Steve Cruz met undefeated Rafael Ruelas Sunday night, was surprised.

“I knew he was a good fighter,” Gorman said of Ruelas, from Van Nuys, “but he was better than I thought he was. Tonight, he looked like the best. . . . He will go a long way.”

Ruelas’ trip will wind past a pay window, where he will receive $12,500 for knocking out Cruz at 57 seconds in the third round of a scheduled 12-round fight before about 800 at the Sands Hotel for the North American Boxing Federation title.

But NABF acclaim is far short of Ruelas’ goal. Manager Dan Goossen said that if he doesn’t get a shot at the world featherweight title in the near future, Ruelas (24-0) will move up to junior-lightweight, aided in gaining the additional weight by his 5-foot-11 stature, which is tall for a featherweight.

“I thought Ruelas’ performance was superb--the combinations, the uppercuts,” Goossen said. “There isn’t a featherweight, junior-lightweight or lightweight in the world that can stand up to his punches.”

Cruz (35-6), from Houston, couldn’t. He went down four times in less than seven minutes, three times in the second round, with Ruelas nailing him with combinations punches.

The usual mandatory three-knockdown rule had been waived for the bout in which both fighters weighed 125 pounds.

In the third round, another hail of punches sent Cruz, who collected $6,000, to the canvas, where he was counted out by referee Tony Gibson.

Ruelas was much the busier of the two, landing 112 of 259 punches, 43%, according to statisticians. Cruz landed 39 or 128, or 30%.