Mason Vows To “Cook” Noakes In A Short, Savage WBO Shootout

Abdullah Mason says he’s going to “cook” in his fight for the vacant WBO lightweight title against #2 Sam Noakes on Saturday night in their undercard slot on ANB Arena in Riyadh.

Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) wants the fight to be a war, and he feels he’s got the goods to defeat the power-punching Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs. There’s a lot at stake in this fight. Capturing the WBO lightweight title will pave the way for the winner to get lucrative fights against Shakur Stevenson and potentially Gervonta Davis if he shows some ambition before retiring.

Why This One Steals the Show

“This could be the best of the night,” said commentator Todd Grisham to DAZN about the Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Noakes battle for the vacant WBO lightweight title on Saturday.

There’s a very good chance Mason-Noakes will steal the limelight away from the headliner and co-feature bouts on Saturday. Just on paper, Mason and Noakes shape up to be a more entertaining contest than the fights above it on the card.

Mason, 21, and Noakes are going to be coming out guns blazing in this fight. They both know that they can’t afford to box because their opponent is going to be gunning for a knockout.

“They know someone is going to go down. Big power in both men. They’re hard-punching guys,” said Sergio Mora. “Abdullah Mason, he’s tall, he’s lanky, but he has been dropped before. Someone is getting knocked out.”

It’s in the DNA of Noakes and Mason to be ready for war. One of these guys will get knocked out, and the chances are, it’ll be over with early, within four rounds. There’s too much firepower for both guys for it not to end early.

Mason’s Appetite for Smoke

“We’re going to cook tomorrow night. I got an appetite for smoke,” said Mason.

What one has to be concerned with about Mason is that he’s not been prepared for this type of opponent that he’ll be facing in Noakes. Abdullah’s promoters at Top Rank have matched him against weak opposition his entire four-year pro career. So, it’s a formidable step up.

“Power and strength,” said Noakes to Queensberry when asked what advantage he has over Mason. “Obviously, he’s a very good boxer, but we’ll see on Saturday. I think I’m going to shock quite a few people on Saturday night, and I think there will be some respect for my name after that.”

Noakes Brings the Power

Noakes has the power advantage in this fight. But what makes Mason dangerous is his uppercuts and his long reach. He goes for broke with his uppercuts and isn’t afraid to leave himself open to getting clipped. The long, looping shots he throws make it difficult for his opponents to track the angle of incoming fire.

“I feel like I’ll get a huge fanbase in the UK after this. It might even be bigger than my fanbase in the USA,” said Abdullah. “Me hearing how dialed into boxing they are and how much they love the sport. The stadiums are always packed. For me to gain some of those fans, it would be huge for me on Saturday. That’s a great opportunity for me to gain those fans.”

UK Stardom on Mason’s Mind

For Mason to become a star in the UK, he would need to fight there on a regular basis. It’s not enough for him to just beat Noakes and expect to become an overnight star in the country.

If he stays long enough at the top the way Canelo Alvarez has, the British fans will want to see him fight in large numbers. It’s still too early to know if Abdullah will have any longevity in the sport, and whether he can compete above 135 at 140 and 147. It’s not a good sign that Mason is already getting hurt against lesser fighters who aren’t top-tier.