RUELAS TOPS FOX FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT CARD

by Pedro Fernandez

When I first met Rafael Ruelas, he and his brother Gabriel both had a dream. And with them both securing world titles, you would of thought the Ruelas dream would be over. Fat chance!

For tonight, Rafael, an-ex IBF 135 lb. titleholder will have to put up or shut up when he faces Texan Juan Baldwin in tonight's 10 round junior welterweight main event.

Baldwin comes in at 18-4, with 13 wins KO's, while Ruelas, still fighting out of North Hollywood, is 51-3, with 41 stops! If Ruelas falters tonight, he can kiss goodbye his #3 WBC rating and a shot at the winner of the vacant WBC junior welterweight title fight between #1 Miguel Gonzalez of Mexico, and #2 rated Aussie based Russian Kostya Tsyzu.

An accompanying fight between unbeaten pugs Kenny Bowman and Derrick Harmon, is clearly an illustration as to how far FOX Sports and AMERICA Presents are willing to go to grab that title as the "Champion of Non Premium Cable."

Bowman, fresh off an upset of Merqui Sosa, is 30-0, with 21 KO's. Fellow Chi-town resident Derrick Harmon is 14-0, with 7 whacks! Both have world class skills and "O's" on their resumes. Something's got to give!

AMERICA Presents CEO Mat Tinley has gone out and tried to sign up as many talented heavyweights in the two years he has run A.P. And with names like Olympian's Duncan Dokiwari, and Lawrence Clay-Bey, it might seem easy to get caught in the shuffle.

But tonight A.P. will showcase Monte Barrett, one of the most promising heavyweight prospects to come out of the Big Apple in decades. Currently, 17-0, with 12 knockouts, Monte will be looking to add a notch to both categories when he faces capable Derrek Amos, of D.C. who is 12-5, with 7 shorts, in an eight rounder.

Three other fights fill out the AMERICA Presents FOX card which will emanate from the TRUMP Marina Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. The FOX Sports telecast begins at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. The English broadcast is on FOX Sports, while the Spanish signal is aired on FOX Americas.

Where I live, the cable company airs only the Spanish feed. But with fights this good, the last thing you'll need is to understand the Spanish commentators.

Pedro Fernandez

I'll be in Vegas tonight for the BAM card at the ORLEANS Hotel, and then for Saturday's Ring Talk show from the Imperial Palace Hotel which airs this Saturday night for two hours beginning at 11:06 PM ET on the Talk America Radio Network. LIVE Internet audio is available at www.talkamerica.com

Besides having the "REAL" world welterweight champion Felix Trinidad, we will air an encore presentation of Marvelous Marvin Hagler's first American radio interview in 11 years. World lightweight and IBF champ Shane Mosley, and 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist David Reid will both make a cameo appearance on Ring Talk to discuss their June 27, bouts on FX.

On Sunday at 11:06 PM ET, on the TALK AMERICA "2" Network aka "The Deuce." Ring Talk will feature Mr. HBO Larry Merchant. Listener call ins are toll free in the USA & Canada.

Ring Talk, in it's 13th year truly is "the insider's look into the world of boxing." Tune in and you will find out why I have no peers!

Pedro Fernandez

E mail can be sent to Mr. Fernandez at flash@inow.com

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