Abdullah Mason says he’s open to the possibility of fighting #1 Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight title in England if that’s where the match ends up taking place. The World Boxing Organization is expected to order the Mason vs. Noakes fight this week, following Keyshawn Davis being stripped of the WBO title for missing weight last Friday.
Abdullah Mason vs. Noakes
Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) would be a big favorite against the British fighter, Noakes, no matter where the fight is staged. Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) wouldn’t be able to count on his fans or the judges to avoid a knockout loss to Abdullah.
Last Saturday, Mason, 21, destroyed veteran Jeremia Nakathila by a fifth-round stoppage in Norfolk, Virginia. He fought more conservatively than he usually does due to Nakathila’s punching power, but he still made quick work of the 35-year-old.
Mason had told Keyshawn before he was stripped that he was coming for him next. That fight is no longer possible because of Davis’ failure to make weight for his canceled title defense against Edin De Lo Santos.
Mason Open to UK
“Going out to the UK, that’d be crazy. I’m definitely all for the idea, if everything is right to go out there, show out there. The one thing about the UK, my team and I have been talking about it, how the experience would be going out there,” said Abdullah Mason to The Ring about fighting Sam Noakes in the UK for the vacant WBO lightweight title.
It’s unclear what Noakes has done to receive a #1 ranking with the WBO. Examining Noakes’ six-year resume, he’s beaten no one notable, which suggests that he deserves to be ranked at the #1 spot. His best career win came against 39-year-old Ryan Walsh. Just going by Noakes’ resume, he shouldn’t be ranked in the top 15 at all, period. It’s bizarre that he’s been positioned at the top spot.
Unless the WBO wants to upgrade Noakes to champion without fighting, he’s up against it, having to fight Abdullah Mason for the vacant strap. Whether the fight happens in England or not, Noakes has little chance of making it past the third round against Mason. This could be one of Abdullah’s easier fights because Sam doesn’t have any punching power. You can argue that Nakathila would be a very hard fight for Noakes, and I could see him losing to him.
Noakes’ Weak Resume
Sam’s Last Six Fights
– Patrik Balaz
– Ryan Walsh
– Gianluca Ceglia
– Yvan Mendy
– Lewis Sylvester
– Carlos Perez
Last Updated on 06/11/2025
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