Abdullah Mason believes he’s now among the best in the lightweight division after capturing the vacant WBO title with an entertaining, show-stealing victory over Sam Noakes on Turki Alalshikh’s November 22nd card in Riyadh.
In the eyes of many fans, Mason’s fight against Noakes outperformed the headliner fight between Devin Haney and Brian Norman Jr., in addition to the co-feature bout between David Benavidez and Anthony Yarde.
The Sharks Await: Cruz, Tank & Foster
The question now is whether Top Rank, the promoters for the 21-year-old Mason (20-0, 17 KOs) will choose to put him in with the sharks in the 135-lb division, like these fighters:
- O’Shaquie Foster
- Andy Cruz
- Floyd Schofield
- Gervonta Davis
- William Zepeda
- Raymond Muratalla
I would add Shakur Stevenson to that mix, but his return to the lightweight division is iffy now that he’s chasing greatness/paydays outside of the weight class.
Top Rank would be taking a risk by allowing Abdullah to fight the top talents at 135, putting him at risk of losing to Cruz, Tank, and others at an early age. His entertaining style of fighting puts him in the firing line for shots.
“This is a door opener to a lot more greatness. So now we’re just going to stay focused and keep improving,” said Abdullah Mason to Sky Sports Boxing.
We saw that in his victory over the heavy puncher Noakes last November. That fight was close, with Mason winning by the scores 115-113, 117-111, and 115-113. He was forced to box Noakes in the second half of the contest due to the punishment he was absorbing from the aggressive knockout artist.
Mason’s Style: Exciting but Dangerous
Mason could be food for experienced fighters like Andy Cruz, Foster, and Zepeda. These are fighters that have been around the game. Although Cruz has fought only six pro fights, his long amateur background in Cuba puts him on par with a professional fighter with a lot of experience.
“I feel like I’m one of the great fighters in my division, and I’m going to keep proving to be one of the best fighters in my division,” said Mason.
“This is a door opener to a lot more greatness. So now we’re just going to stay focused and keep improving.”
Last Updated on 12/11/2025
