By Jake Donovan

It’s the start of a renewed business relationship between Top Rank and Golden Boy, as Luis Carlos Abregu and unbeaten Sadam Ali collide Saturday evening in Atlantic City.

The scheduled 10-round welterweight bout serves as the televised opener of an HBO doubleheader topped by the light heavyweight title unification bout between Sergey Kovalev and Bernard Hopkins.

Abregu (36-1, 29KOs) has won seven straight since suffering the lone loss of his career, a competitive but clear points loss to then  unbeaten 140 lb. titlist Timothy Bradley, who briefly moved up in weight at the time. Chief among his current stretch is an upset knockout over Thomas Dulorme more than two years ago on HBO.

The free-swinging Argentine struggled to cash in on the opportunity, however, as few were in a hurry to face him. Just two fights and wins have followed, fighting just once in 2013 and now fighting for only the second time in 2014.

Fortunately, he was able to enlist the services of an old gym mate to accept the assignment.

Abregu and Ali spent a significant amount of time together in past training camps, adding a friendly rivalry to Saturday’s welterweight clash.

Between his experience with his opponent, a brilliant amateur career that ended with a run in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a current unbeaten run, Ali (20-0, 12KOs) is brimming with confidence as he fights on HBO for the first time in his career.

Read on to see how the staff at krikya360.com believes Saturday’s welterweight action goes down in Atlantic City.

krikya360.com STAFF PREDICTIONS: LUIS CARLOS ABREGU vs. SADAM ALI

Ryan Burton (Abregu KO6): “This is a big step up for Ali and I think the Argentine's experience and power will be too much for the undefeated prospect.”

Jake Donovan (Abregu TKO6): “I like Abregu all the way in this one. Initially saw this as a distance fight, but assuming Abregu opens up and goes after it, he should eventually find Sadam Ali’s chin to end matters midway through.”

Ernest Gabion (Abregu UD): “We witnessed one kid get thrown to the wolves when Abregu beat up an inexperienced Thomas Dulorme and I think we see a repeat.  Ali is skilled, fast and and has everything you’d want in a young prospect. It still won’t be enough as Abregu will bull rush him, making him uncomfortable every chance he gets.”

Keith Idec (Abregu TKO5): “This is a huge step up for Ali, who has been moved pretty cautiously since he turned pro following the 2008 Summer Olympics. Ali has more skills and speed than Abregu, but Abregu’s power should be the ultimate equalizer against a prospect whose chin is questionable.”

Steve Kim (Abregu KO6): “Simply put, Abregu hits hard and Ali has shaky whiskers. I like Abregu to stop Ali in round six.”

Cliff Rold (Ali Dec.): “Ali has made some nice, if variable, progress and is ready to emerge as a contender. Abregu is the sort of tough, but limited foe who represents a victory that he should be able to have to work for but still capture.”

Francisco Salazar (Abregu TKO7): “When you think of hard-hitting welterweights from Argentina that know their way around the ring, you think about Lucas Matthysse, Marcos Maidana, and even Sergio Martinez. You should also include Abregu. Even with average speed, Abregu is very ring-savvy and can hurt his opponent with either hand. Ali is a decent prospect, but I feel he has hit his ceiling. He has not impressed in recent fights, and that will not be enough to keep a dangerous opponent like Abregu away from him. Abregu wears Ali down before the fight gets stopped.”

Reynaldo Sanchez (Ali UD): “Hard fight for both. Abregu has the power to knock out Ali. But, I think Abregu doesn’t have the same skills to prevail over 10 rounds.”

Alexey Sukachev (Abregu TKO8): “Ali is a soft cookie, being baked for almost six years - longer than Vanes Martirosyan. It won't help him match against battle-tested and grizzled Argentinean veteran. All he can do is to survive but his soft touches in the past will make a number on him and force him to surrender.”

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of krikya360.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox