Abdullah Mason believes he is now among the best in the lightweight division after capturing the vacant WBO title with an entertaining, show-stealing win over Sam Noakes on Turki Alalshikh’s November 22 card in Riyadh.
In the eyes of many fans, Mason’s fight against Noakes fared better than the main fight between Devin Haney and Brian Norman Jr., in addition to the co-fight between David Benavidez and Anthony Yarde.
The Sharks are waiting: 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, such as these fighters:
- O’Shaquie Foster
- Andy Cruz
- Floyd Schofield
- Gervonta Davis
- William Zepeda
- Raymond Muratalla
I’d add Shakur Stevenson to that mix, but his return to the lightweight division is questionable now that he’s chasing greatness/paydays outside of the weight class.
Top Rankings would take 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 crossfire for shots.
“It’s a door opener to a lot more greatness. So now we’re just going to stay focused and keep improving,” Abdullah Mason said. Sky Sports Boxing.
We saw that in his win over heavy puncher Noakes last November. That fight was close, with Mason winning by scores of 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 took from the aggressive knockout artist.
Mason’s Style: Exciting but dangerous
Mason can be fodder for experienced fighters like Andy Cruz, Foster and Zepeda. These are fighters that have been in the game before. Although Cruz has only fought six pro fights, his long amateur background in Cuba puts him on par with a professional fighter with plenty of experience.
“I feel like I’m one of the great fighters in my division, and I’m going to continue to prove that I’m one of the best fighters in my division,” Mason said.
“It’s 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
