Abdullah Mason has never shied away from the toughest challenges, and Saturday night he proved exactly why he is regarded as one of boxing’s brightest young champions.
Fighting in front of his hometown fans at Cleveland’s Wolstein Center, Mason overcame an early deficit before stopping fellow Ohio native Albert Bell in the 12th round to successfully defend his WBO lightweight championship. The bout headlined the inaugural edition of “The Fight” series on DAZN and TNT.
Mason (21-0, 18 KOs) entered the bout expecting to face former world champion Joe Cordina before visa issues forced a late change. Bell (28-1, 9 KOs), who stepped in on just 10 days’ notice, proved to be a far more difficult assignment than many anticipated.
Having sparred Mason numerous times, Bell used his familiarity with the champion to control much of the first half of the fight.
The crafty veteran consistently beat Mason to the punch with sharp counter right hands, forcing the young southpaw to hesitate between applying pressure and boxing from distance.
According to CompuBox, Bell outlanded Mason 56-38 overall and dominated the power-punch battle 53-21 through the opening six rounds.
Momentum Swings in the Seventh
The fight changed dramatically in Round 7. Mason began finding his range with crisp straight left hands, forcing Bell onto the defensive for the first time all night.
Bell, who later revealed he was having difficulty breathing through his nose, abandoned much of the counterpunching success that carried him through the early rounds and instead focused on surviving Mason’s increasing pressure.
From that point forward, the momentum belonged entirely to the champion.
Mason continued breaking Bell down over the next several rounds with relentless body work and accurate straight left hands. The statistics reflected the shift.
Mason outlanded Bell 16-3 in the eighth round before punishing the challenger with 18 body shots in the ninth. Bell landed just eight total punches across those two rounds as fatigue began to set in.
The championship rounds belonged to Mason, who never allowed Bell to regain control of the fight.
Championship Finish
Knowing the fight could still be hanging in the balance entering the final round, Mason wasted no time putting an exclamation point on his performance.
Seconds into Round 12, he dropped Bell with a pair of crushing left hands. Bell beat the count, but Mason quickly closed the show, landing another perfectly timed left hand to the temple that sent the challenger crashing to the canvas a second time.
Referee Mark Nelson immediately waved off the contest without issuing another count. Although Bell protested the stoppage, the ending felt inevitable as Mason had completely taken over the fight during the second half.
Champion Shows Championship Heart
Despite the dramatic finish, Mason’s comeback was already reflected on the scorecards. Entering the 12th round, all three judges had the champion ahead, with two cards reading 107-102 and the third 106-105.
The victory showcased another dimension of Mason’s game. Rather than cruising through an overmatched opponent, the 22-year-old champion had to make adjustments against an experienced veteran who knew him well. He responded by staying patient, investing in the body, and wearing Bell down before producing the highlight-reel finish.
For a fighter who has consistently said he wants the toughest fights available, Mason passed another significant test and successfully defended his WBO lightweight title in front of his hometown crowd.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
