Reflections on the Career of Middleweight Gatekeeper King, Gabriel Rosado
Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
The recent retirement of 46 bouts middleweight top ten contender gatekeeper Gabriel ‘King’ Rosado was the correct decision, as his career had hit the probable end of the boxing road. Rosado, age 37, a Philadelphian fighting out of Los Angeles, California, took 25 bouts to a decision in his 26-17-1 record with 15 knockouts. Rosado frequently bled and cut in his bouts, but leaves the ring fortunate with his faculties and sense intact.
King Gabriel, as he is known, outweighed by 7 ½ pounds, began his pro career with a first round stoppage of 1-2 Phil Hicklin at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 13, 2006, at age 20. Rosado’s first big win was in April 2009, a 10 round split decision upset over former International Boxing Federation World Super Middleweight champion and former WBA World Middleweight title challenger Kassim Oima at The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Rosado subsequently lost to contenders Alfredo Angulo and Derek Ennis.
Rosado then won seven key bouts in succession, defeating Jose Medina, Jamaal Davis, Ayi Bruce, Keenan Collins, Jesus Soto Karass, Sechew Powell and Charles Whittaker to earn a world title shot against Gennady ‘GGG” Golovkin for the World Boxing Associaiton and International Boxing Federation World Middleweight titles at Madison Square Garden in January 2013. GGG stopped Rosado in the seventh round. Gabriel then fought to a 10 round No Decision with 11-0 J’Leon Love, whose 10 round split decision win for the vacant NABF Middleweight title was overturned when Love tested positive for a banned diuretic.
Rosado then lost to Peter Quillin, Jermell Charlo and David Lemieux (for the NABF Middleweight title). Then Gabriel defeated Joshua Clottey and Jesus Velasquez, then lost to Willie Monroe Jr. and Martin Murray. Rosado then defeated Glen Tapia, and drew with Luis Arias. Rosado then lost to Maciej Suleiki, defeated Humberto Ochoa, then got robbed of a questionable 12 round split decision to Daniel Jacobs in November 2020 which could have been a career game changing win.
Gabriel then stopped Bektemir Melikhuziev, then lost his last four bouts to Jaime Munguia, Shane Mosley Jr. (a majority 10 round decision loss), Ali Akhmedov (lost in 10), and lost a rematch to Bektemir Melikhuziev on April 22, 2023, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, in his final ring appearance. Winning only one round in his last two bouts combined over 20 judged rounds, a farewell to boxing was in order. Rosado was a rough tough customer who fought his way through the heart of the 160 pounds division, always in the house. Experts agree Rosado did his best. GGG was his toughest foe, Jacobs his calling card.
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