Ellis points out that fighters like Felix Trinidad and Sugar Ray Leonard fought best at 20 and 21 during their careers. He feels that if a fighter is great, they don’t have to wait until they’re 24 or 25.
Some fans took Shakur’s comment as condescending and let Mason know that he should stay and not rise to become a star. Abdullah winning quickly would put pressure on Stevenson to fight him.
If he were to agree to the fight, Mason could waste the money he’s making now, sending him back to the lower paydays he’s been receiving.
While it is unclear if Shakur will return to the lightweight division, it is not good for him that Mason would attract a lot of attention due to his entertaining fighting style. If Turki Alalshikh puts pressure on Stevenson to fight him, fans could see his low-burning star flame extinguished by the powerful southpaw.
“They hear people say that. In the history of boxing, the greats do it at 21,” trainer Kenny Ellis said. Mill City Boxingresponding to people saying Abdullah Mason is too young to fight the big fights. “So, if he’s great, why can’t he do it at 21?”
Mason is a mature person for 21. To listen to him speak, he sounds more like someone with the wisdom of a person in their 30s. He doesn’t sound like someone that age. His ability to fight has already shown that he is capable of beating the best. It will be interesting to see if Turki would send Shakur into a fight against Mason before getting a taste of the gold at 147.
“Ray Leonard did it at 21. I remember watching (Felix) Trinidad fight Maurice Blocker. He was 20 years old. Tyson did it at the age of 20. That’s the history of the sport. Great fighters in the sport do it at 20, 21 and 22. It’s a myth, ‘Oh, you have to wait until your 2524’. Abdullah did it at 20, so he’s great,” Ellis says.
Sugar Ray Leonard won an Olympic gold medal in 1975 before turning pro. So he fought the best fighters from around the world and was ready to take on the best at the professional level. Mason did not have as long or as impressive an amateur career as Leonard. However, his power play was more suited to the pro than the screen style used in the amateur game.
