The WBO officially ordered #1 Sam Noakes to start negotiations to stare #2 Abdullah Mason for the vacant lightweight title. The two fighters have 20 days to compile an agreement.
This is an important step for Noakes (17-0, 15 COs), who has fought his entire six-year career at the domestic level. He is at the point of 1 with the WBO, but his resume is barren from contenders. There is not one contender for Noakes’ resume.
WBO Order Mason-Noakes Lightweight Title Fight
On paper it is a terrible mismatch in favor of Mason. This battle will make the WBO look bad because he gave the unprepared, limited noakes a number 1 ranking without prove himself. As an organization, you want to make realistic choices for rankings. Putting noakes on #1 doesn’t make sense.
The WBO obviously has its reasons to give Noakes a number 1 ranking, but the reality is that he is not at the level of half of the opponents Mason fought in the past. As such, it is a preceding conclusion that Abdullah (19-0, 17 COs) will win and be the next WBO lightweight champion.
Fans wanted the WBO to recommend that Abdullah Mason fight against Edwin de Los Santos or Andy Cruz for the vacant title of 135 pounds, not Noakes. The two would have been much worthy for Mason to fight for the vacant title.
Is Mason too young for title?
There are concerns that Mason, 21, is too young to fight and have to wait against 27-year-old Noakes. Some people believe that even if Abdullah won the vacant WBO title with a win, he is too young to hold the belt against the wolves that will come for him.
Top Rank’s Mason Protection Challenge
Top rank can’t protect Mason as they did with their careful matchmaking once he is champion. Once he owns the WBO title, there will be a target on his back, and the predators in the lightweight section will come for him. Predictably, the top ranking fighters like Andy Cruz, Raymond Muratalla, Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis will avoid. Mason is too green to fight against any of the four fighters.
The WBO title was made vacant after former champion Keyshawn Davis missed weight for his title defense against De Los Santos. Davis came overweight in 4.3 pounds, which, according to some fans, was an intentional fog on his part to either get an edge or to avoid the fight completely. In the end, the attack was canceled after the management of De Los Santos decided not to go through with it.
The road to the WBO lightweight title begins.
#1 Sam Noakes and #2 Abdullah Mason has 20 days to reach an agreement. Negotiations are officially underway.#Wbo #Lightweightdivision #Newera pic.twitter.com/qnjout2gri
– WBO (@worldboxingorg) June 12, 2025
Last updated on 06/12/2025
