Lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason will return in February against Manuel Jaimes in a top-ranked card. It’s not an exciting game for the 20-year-old Mason, but it’s a predictable one after his last disappointing performance.
Mason vs. Jaimes: A step back?
Mason (16-0, 14 KOs) takes a step back with this fight against Jaimes (16-2-1, 11 KOs) after his shaky performance against veteran Yohan Vasquez on November 8 at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. Mason was dropped twice in the first round by 30-year-old Dominican Republic Vasquez (26-6, 21 KOs). It was fortunate for Mason that Vasquez suffered a knee injury in the first round.
Boxing Scene reports that Mason will next fight San Jose, California native Manuel Jaimes.
For those two who follow the sport closely, they know Jaimes as the guy who recently defeated former WBA light welterweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero via a lopsided 10-round unanimous decision on September 14th on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Rolly-Jaimes was buried on the undercard at the fifth spot of the main event. Rolly is using Jaimes as a confidence booster after losing his WBA 140-lb title to Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz via eighth-round knockout on March 30.
Manuel Jaimes was no match for Rolly, who boxed him out and flung him out. Romero seemed to carry him because he could hammer him, but he seemed to stay in first gear the entire ten-round contest to get some rounds in. The scores were 99-91, 99-91 and 99-91.
Mason vs. Jaimes could fight on the undercard of lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis’ next card as he is expected to challenge WBO champion Denys Berinchyk in February.
The Chin Question
Top Rank is going to have to figure out how to protect Abdullah Mason from getting knocked out before he fights for a world title. Floyd Schofield Sr. recently revealed that Mason was hurt in sparring by his son, Schofield Jr, and he thinks he has a chin problem.
The Vasquez fight would confirm that. If Mason’s punch resistance continues to be an issue, Top Rank will have to steer him towards a weak puncher like Shakur Stevenson and hope he can handle the point punches of the WBC champion.
