Prici Ruelas ready to make pro boxing debut Saturday night in Amarillo
Prici Ruelas waited a long time to make his professional boxing debut. He ended up having to wait two months longer than he originally anticipated due to unforeseen circumstances. Now, however, his time has come and he's ready to get going.
Ruelas, a graduate of Hereford High School, is set to make his pro debut on Saturday night as part of Bomb City Brawl VI. The event will be held at Azteca Music Hall in Amarillo, where Ruelas has lived the past four years.
Originally, Bomb City Brawl VI was supposed to take place back in December, but the event fell through just days before. No reason was given for the postponement by Texas Elite Fight Club Promotions, but it's set to go through this Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. with doors opening at 5 p.m.
Regardless of time, day or place, Ruelas is ready to go. After wrestling at Hereford, he graduated in 2019. He wasn't sure what was next. Through a friend, he found his way to boxing and quickly fell in love.
"I wasn’t sure what I was going to do," Ruelas said. "I wasn’t even sure that I was going to fight, but I just told a friend that I’d like to go to his gym and then I just became obsessed. I developed a drive for it and it became my passion. Now here we are.”
The 22-year-old native of Fresno California moved to Hereford when he was 10. Long before he started wrestling, he was a combat sport fanatic, watching Bruce Lee films and fights on TV. That's how he found his way to wrestling before transitioning from the mat to the ring. It's a transition that's been simpler than one might think.
“The switch (from wrestling to boxing) was pretty easy," Ruelas said. "They’re both combat sports that focus on one-on-one matchups…I’m still learning trial and error from boxing, but I’m taking it seriously so I can learn to perfect my form.”
Ruelas went 24-5 in amateur bouts representing Texas Elite Fight Club to prepare for this moment. He trains twice a day, six days a week while working at Tyson as a Maintenance Technician. He knows he wants boxing to be his legacy. Now, it's his time to do it.
“I get my confidence from training," Ruelas said. "We’re in there twice a day six days a week. I know I can have success in the pros so I’m feeling really good right now. I’m confident in my skill set so I’m not too worried.
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This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Hereford grad Prici Ruelas set to make his professional boxing debute
