Ruelas Seeking Shot at Title After One-Sided Win

RENO — Gabriel Ruelas, about to move into boxing’s high-income brackets, pounded soft, pudgy Moises Martinez into submission in one round here Thursday night.

Then he went looking for bigger game.

Ruelas’ promoter, Dan Goossen, wants to move him into a Las Vegas title fight with Azumah Nelson, a big-money fight in Australia with Jeff Fenech, or a Sacramento match with John-John Molina.

But Ruelas, ranked No. 1 among junior lightweights by the World Boxing Council, certainly didn’t gain much by starching Martinez before about 800 at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center. The main similarity between Moises Martinez and Azumah Nelson, for example, is that both are human beings.

Ruelas (132 pounds), who improved to 29-1, was up against a guy advertised as 28-14. But Martinez (133), a Mexican fighting out of Tucson, might be only a .500 fighter, according to Southland boxing statman Dean Lohuis, who said Martinez has numerous unaccounted losses in Mexico. Another record keeper, Ralph Citro, had him at 3-11.

Martinez wilted quickly against Ruelas, of Arleta, who seemed eager to make it a quick show. The third punch Ruelas threw was a short, jolting right that found Martinez’s chin and snapped his head back. Ruelas missed wildly with a left hook but landed a right uppercut.

He also hit Martinez with a low blow, and referee Vic Drakulich gave Martinez 45 seconds to recover. The finish came at 2:32, when Martinez fell on his face after a Ruelas three-punch combination. He arose shakily, but Drakulich waved Ruelas off.