Quick Jabs: Dulorme's setback, Barclays boxing, Khan's return and more

Brooklyn-native Zab Judah could potentially fight Danny Garcia at Barclays Center in January. (Chris Weeks/Getty Images)

Some quick jabs…

• Carlos Abregu’s win over Thomas Dulorme last Saturday night showed just how important matchmaking is in boxing. Dulorme was a hot, powerful, 22-year-old prospect with all the ingredients to be the next star to come out of Puerto Rico. But Abregu -- a once beaten knockout artist with only a decision defeat to Tim Bradley tarnishing his record -- was simply too much, too soon. Dulorme had never felt Abregu’s kind of power and didn’t have the wherewithal to hold when he did. Perhaps this will just a blip on the radar for Dulorme. But clearly he wasn’t ready for that level of a fight.

• Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said matchmaker Robert Diaz and representatives of welterweight Kell Brook have been discussing a possible deal to match Brook, the IBF’s mandatory challenger, against IBF titleholder Devon Alexander. Schaefer indicated a Alexander-Brook fight was something both sides were interested in. “Devon is not scared of fighting Kell Brook,” Schaefer said. “Our focus is to make a fight with Brook.”

• The fact that Keith Thurman -- who will face Carlos Quintana on the undercard of the HBO-televised show headlined by Andre Berto-Robert Guerrero -- is getting another TV date is nuts. Thurman has no real résumé, save for being represented by influential and divisive advisor Al Haymon. Which, apparently, continues to be enough.

• When Golden Boy cut an exclusive deal with Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, it was expected that the company would put on monthly shows in the building. According to Schaefer, that plan has been scrapped. Schaefer said he discussed the deal with Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark and will shift the focus to putting on big shows, beginning Jan. 19, when 140-pound champion Danny Garcia will make his second straight appearance in the building. Schaefer said he is considering two opponents, one of which is Brooklyn native Zab Judah.

• I like Gabriel Rosado, but pulling out of the Dec. 8 fight with Elvin Ayala that he agreed to just a day earlier was amateurish. I don’t blame Rosado for not wanting to risk his IBF No. 1 contender spot. But don’t agree to the fight to begin with. Main Events will replace Rosado-Ayala with a 130-pound fight between Teon Kennedy (17-2-2) and Jerry Belmontes (17-0), a fight that will be part of the broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

• Schaefer said that Amir Khan’s return on Dec. 15 will be a tripleheader which could include hard hitting junior middleweight Alfredo Angulo -- who will try to bounce back from a brutal knockout loss to James Kirkland on Nov. 10 when he faces Raul Casarez -- and bantamweight Leo Santa Cruz, who will also be in action on the 10th, against Victor Zaleta.

• Peter Quillin, who picked up his first world title in a thrilling decision win over Hassan N’Dam, will also return on Jan. 19 at the Barclays Center. While Schaefer said he is sorting through potential opponents, one name not on the list is WBA champion Gennady Golovkin. “Golovkin is just not that well known in the U.S.,” Schaefer said. “There are fights out there for him. I would tell his promoter to stay busy, fight some of those guys and increase his name recognition. I mean, one impressive performance, suddenly he deserves to fight Julio Cesar Chavez or Sergio Martinez? The world doesn’t work like that. He’s a very good fighter but there are only a small number of fans excited about Golovkin.”

• The December rematch between Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham -- which will be broadcast nationally on NBC -- promises to be a good one. But the fight for the winner could be even better. Whoever wins will be in line to face Kubrat Pulev, the giant slayer, who has defeated two 6-foot-7 contenders (Alexander Dimitrenko and Alexander Ustinov) in his last two fights, for the right to become the No. 1 contender for Wladimir Klitschko’s IBF title. I’m told Pulev is open to fighting in the U.S., too.

• Obligatory Floyd Mayweather update: Schaefer said he is in “constant communication” with Mayweather’s team, thought he would not say when -- or against who -- Mayweather would fight. Said Schaefer, “Floyd makes those calls when he feels it is appropriate.”

• R.I.P, Emanuel Steward. You are, and will continue to be, greatly missed.

-- Chris Mannix