Saleem was beaten by experienced Polish opponent Lucasz Parobiec in Birmingham.
The heavyweight contest at BKFC 90 Birmingham saw Saleem and Parobiec looked on course to go the distance.
But Parobiec made the decisive move in the fourth round and after wearing down a tiring Saleem with a series of punches, the Pole closed things with a powerful left-hand.
Parobiec landed the decisive blow in the fourth round (Image: BKFC)
That saw the referee step in and halt the right as Parobiec won by technical knockout (TKO).
It was Saleem’s second fight on the top BKFC platform.
The former professional boxer earned his chance on the BKFC stage after winning a British title at the west Cumbrian WBKB V event last year.
Saleem has been training in the north east with Mick Terrill and Andy Davison, and has also been helped in his preparation by Andi Crossman at Wigton Amateur Boxing Club.
Saleem, who owns the Unit bar in Carlisle and originally hails from Dumfries, came up against a seasoned campaigner in Parobiec, the 46-year-old boasting plenty of experience in bare-knuckle and mixed martial arts ahead of his BKFC debut against Saleem.
The Carlisle boxer is one of a number of Cumbria-based fighters with the BKFC, with Carlisle’s Kieron Sewell, Egremont’s Agi Faulkner and Maryport’s Bartek Kanabey currently competing on the platform and Carlisle’s Danny Christie also tipped to make a comeback.