"It was a long, dusty road from a small Mexicn village to world championship status, but less than a year after youger brother Rafael won the International Boxing Federation lightweight title, Gabriel Ruelas stunned super featherweight champion Jesse James Leija to capture the World Boxing Council belt.

Born in Jalisco, Mexico, Ruelas immigrated to the United States with his brother and sister when he was seven. While selling candy door-to-door with Rafael, Gabriel hung around Joe Goossen's gym and begged the trainer to let him box. Goossen, who was busy with his stable of pro fighters tried to shoo away the Ruelas' at first, but the two brothers kept pestering him until he finally capituted.

At 12 years old, Ruelas impessed Goossen with his natural quickness and skill level. As an amateur, Gabriel was 55-3 and won the California Golden Glovbes bantamweight championship. He made his pro debut on Sept. 16, 1988 and scored a first round knockout over Raul Martinez. Ruelas went on to win 21 straight bouts, including six by first round kayoes.

Later, Ruelas won the North American Boxing Federation crown with a lopsided decision over Aaron Lopez. He successfully defended it twice, all the while, ascending the WBC rankings.

"Two-time world champion Azumah Neson personifies the meaning of warrior. In his native country of Ghana, Africa, he is known as "The Terrible Warrior." Nelson, 37, considered by many to be too old to successfully compete in boxing, refers to himself as "The Professor" because he is the instructor and his opponent is the student.

On February 29, 1992, in Melbourne, Australia, Nelson took his student, Jeff Fenech, to school. From the outset Azumah carved the former three-time world champion with jabs, and then pasting him with hooks, uppercuts and straight right hands. He sent Fenech to the canvas in the first, the second, and again in the eighth before referee Arthur Mercante called a halt to the merciless beating at 2:20 of the round.

A hero in his hometown of Accra, Nelson boasted an impressive 50-2 record, including three gold medals in International competitions. He turned pro in 1979 with an eight-round decision victory and by his tenth fight, had already captured the Ghanian, African Continental and British Commonwealth featherweight titles. After two successful title defenses, Nelson decided it was time to pursue a world title.

In his first world title fight on July 21, 1982, Nelson had the unenviable task of facing a fighter who many believe was the best featherweight in history, Salvador Sanchez. Nelson who was a late replacement for Mario Miranda had only two weeks to prepare for the fight, and amazingly gave Sanchez all he could handle before being stopped in the 15th-round. This performance had Sanchez telling people that he believed Azumah would become the best featherweight ever...."

"Following a hellish 3 1/2 yr. layoff to battle drug addiction, Johnny Tapia gingerly re-entered the ring on March 27, 1994, and knocked out Jaime Olvera in the fourth-round.

Pleading with the New Mexico State Athletic Commission to reinstate him, Tapia was green-lighted in 1994, but only under sever guidelines, which includes random drug testing, a withholding of all purse money earned pending results of a drug exam and unappealable lifetime suspension if he ever tests positive again...

Two lessons that parents teach their children are, "Good things come to those who wait," and Patience is a virture." Evidently, Willie Salazar's parents made sure that their son believed in this, and after 15 years, 64 fights, and numerous set backs, he is finally getting one more chance to realize his dream. On December 1, Salazar gets his second world title opportunity, when he challenges undefeated WBO junior bantamweight champion Johnny Tapia.

"I have worked so hard, and have been waiting so long for this chance, that losing is not an option," said Salazar. "I proved in my last fight that I could beat the best. This time there is a world title at stake, and I will not lose."

"Simply put, three-time world champion John John Molina is on a roll. He was the International Boxing Federation junior lightweight champion for the last four years until vacating the crown in order to move up in weight and challenge WBO lightweight champion Oscar De La Hoya. Though he lost a hard-fought 12-round decision, Molina gave the undefeated champion the closest and most difficult fight of his career.

Before the loss to De La Hoya, Molina had not lost a fight in almost five years. During the 15-fight winning streak, Molina had defeated former world champions Manuel Medina and Goyo Vargas as well as No. 1 contenders Bernard Taylor and Wilson Rodriguez...."

Many current and former world champions, including Freddie Pendleton and Oliver McCall, have started their careers losing some fights, only to gain experience and eventually a world title. Former Mexican junior lightweight champion Eduardo "Lalo" Perez fits this picture perfectly. Though Perez has lost some fights, he is not the type of fighter to be overlooked.

"In my last eight fights, I have fought some very good fighters, and with the experience I have recently gained, I realized I could have beat them all," said Perez. "I know I have always had the skill, but recently things have started to come together. Thisis the most important fight of my life and I will not blow it."...."