Abdullah Mason believes Sam Noakes is exactly the kind of opponent who will force him to reveal a version of himself the boxing world hasn’t seen yet. Mason (19-0, 17 KOs), long touted as one of the sport’s brightest young talents. Meets fellow unbeaten puncher Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the vacant WBO lightweight title. With both men boasting sky-high knockout rates Mason at 89 percent, Noakes at 88 percent this has all the makings of a shootout. Mason insists fans are about to find out he’s been operating in second gear.
“They’ll see that I been holding back,” Mason told The Ring. “Everybody that I been in the ring with, they been going out a certain way, and I wanna do the same thing to him at this level. That means that I’m a have to have a little bit more output and put a little more on him. After this fight everybody gonna say, ‘Oh, man, he must’ve been holding back because he ain’t put this on nobody else before this.’”
Power vs. Power
Abdullah Mason, just 21 and from Cleveland, brings a complete package built around slick southpaw skills and serious punching power.
“People see a full package when they watch me fight,” Mason said. “They know I have a certain skill set and talent. And the punching power is something that comes with it that puts it all together.”
Noakes, 28, from Maidstone, England, has quietly put together a strong résumé of his own. He’s gone 12 rounds in two of his last four fights and stopped Czech contender Patrik Balaz in three rounds in May, when Balaz was unable to continue due to a wrist injury. Mason knows exactly what he’s walking into.
“The main things I see about Sam Noakes is he’s definitely a durable fighter and he’s a strong fighter as well,” Mason said. “Anything I throw at him, he’s gonna try to catch it and dish it right back out, and I gotta be prepared for that.”
Tested Under Fire
For all his highlight-reel stoppages, Abdullah Mason has already shown he can overcome real danger.
A year ago, at Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, he was dropped twice by veteran puncher Yohan Vasquez in a wild first round. Mason regrouped, adjusted, and stopped Vasquez (26-6, 21 KOs) in the second, turning a scare into a statement.
“That was a huge experience for me,” he said. “It helped me grow a lot and helped me mature a lot. Especially with me already having the skill set and the talent. It only added to my game.”
High Stakes at Lightweight
This fight isn’t just a test it’s a coronation opportunity.
Mason, the WBO’s No. 1 contender, and Noakes, ranked No. 2. Are meeting for the title that was stripped from Keyshawn Davis. Who came in 4.3 pounds over the limit for a scheduled defense against Edwin De Los Santos on June 6. Now, one of two unbeaten punchers gets to grab that vacant belt and possibly take control of the division’s future. Abdullah Mason is betting that when the smoke clears in Riyadh. Everyone will see what he’s been saying all along: He hasn’t shown his ceiling yet.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
