Business of Pain

Araceli Martínez-Rose, mexican journalist published a book about the life of Grabriel Ruelas.

San Diego, CA – Araceli Martínez-Rose, a well-known Mexican journalist, who has been recognized with two Emmy Awards, is promoting her first book, Business of Pain, in which she narrates the tragic and hard life of the World Boxing Champion, Gabriel Ruelas.

In the 468 pages of the publication, she explains how Ruelas left his native state of Jalisco, Mexico at the age of 12 for Los Angeles, California to pursue a career in the world of boxing, a sport which gave him glory and fame, but also left him with insecurities and fears.

The idea of writing the book came two years ago when Martínez-Rose heard that a group of people were preparing to do a movie about the life of Ruelas. She said that she wanted to read “the book,” but learned that such a publication did not exist. The opportunity to write the book was offered to her. Although, Martínez-Rose admitted that she did not like or know anything about boxing, it was not an obstacle because the Mexican fighter opened his heart and shared the highs and lows of the sport, as well as the terrible tragedy that marked his life in the ring.

Gabriel Ruleas fought against the Colombian boxer, Jimmy Garcia, on May 6, 1995 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Garcia lost the fight in 12 rounds and days later lost his life as a consequence of the punches that he received during the bout. This terrible incident marked the life of the Mexican pugilist who later faced Azumah Nelson, from Ghana, loosing his title as world champion. Ruelas thought that he saw the ghost of Garcia in the ring, a vision that paralyzed him.

“When I realized how so inspirational and tragic is the life of Ruelas, and the obstacles that he has had to face”, said the author, she wondered herself that if this is the life of one boxer, how similar or different is it from others. Martínez-Rose came up with the idea of “including the experiences of other boxing champions who generously spoke, not only about their own lives, but also about Gabriel and the experiences that they shared with him,” she added.

The author interviewed 15 other boxers whose lives are like mini-stories in the biography of Ruelas, a task that took Martínez-Rose to places like Miami in the United States and far as England, as well as many long conversations on international phone calls. Besides Nelson, you find Erik Morales, Robert “mano de piedra” Duran, among others.

The reason behind having 15 boxers in the book was because 2010 was the 15th anniversary of the death of Garcia, and 12 chapters because he died after a fight of 12 rounds, explained the Martínez-Rose.

The author feels confident that she wrote a book that is worth reading “because it is a positive story” and can “inspire one to reflect on oneself.” In fact, she says that she discovered a different “face” to the sport that makes her feel passionate because “I learned its values and the human people” who work in this field.

Business of Pain was presented at the International Book Fair of Guadalajara, Mexico last November and is available in the Spanish language. It will be published in English in March of this year. In the future, it may also be publish in Japanese, Russian, Chinese, German, French, and Portuguese. For more information about the book, visit www.aracelimartinez.com.