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Fans of Gabriel Rosado who were concerned for his safety against the power-punching James Kirkland need not fear: ESPN's Dan Rafael reports that Kirkland was never actually committed to the prospective bout in the first place, and therefore the fight will no longer co-headling the Hopkins-Kovalev bout this fall.
Kirkland is out of the Rosado fight on BHop-Kovalev card. Never finalized it. New fight likely Abregu vs Sadam Ali. (TR vs GB). #boxing
— Dan Rafael (@danrafaelespn) September 23, 2014
Though it lacks the name value, the proposed replacement fight should actually make for a compelling contest. Luis Carlos Abregu is a rising welterweight prospect fresh off a knockout win over the previously undefeated Jean Carlos Prada. With that win Abregu staked himself out as yet another heavy-handed fighter-to-watch out of Argentina.
His would-be opponent, Sadam Ali, is undefeated himself at 20-0, and possesses fast feet and hands to match. His is a decidedly more amateur style, so it should make for an interesting style matchup, as well as a stiff test for Ali.