An All-Ohio Title Fight On Independence Day
Right then, this is the one I've had circled all week. On Saturday, Abdullah Mason defends his WBO lightweight world title against fellow unbeaten Ohioan Albert Bell at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, and Mason vs Bell headlines the very first edition of TNT's new monthly boxing series. Two undefeated Ohio men, one world title, July 4th weekend. Let's not beat around the bush — this is a proper fight and a brilliant way to launch a new franchise.
Mason: The Youngest Champion In The Game
Make no mistake, Mason is the real deal. Twenty fights, twenty wins, seventeen of them by knockout, and he became the youngest male world champion on the planet when he outpointed Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO belt back in November. At just 22 years of age, that's a frightening trajectory. He's a southpaw with genuine spite in both hands, and when he sits down on his shots he takes people out. This is his first defence, on home Ohio soil, and he'll want to announce himself in style.
What I love about Mason is that he doesn't fight like a kid. He's patient, he sets traps, and then the finish arrives. That's rare in someone so young. The pressure of a first defence in front of a home crowd can undo a fighter, but everything I've seen says this lad thrives on it.
Bell: Undefeated And Full Of Awkward Class
Now, don't sleep on Bell. He's 28-0, he's 33 years old, and he came in as a late replacement for Joe Cordina after the visa drama, but this is no soft touch. Bell is a slick, rangy, awkward operator out of Toledo who's spent years learning his craft the hard way. Only nine knockouts on that record tells you he's a boxer, not a banger — he'll try to make it long, technical, and uncomfortable.
The danger in Mason vs Bell is exactly that awkwardness. If Bell can drag the champion into the deep rounds, use his experience and his jab, and take Mason out of his rhythm, he's got a puncher's — sorry, a boxer's — chance of pulling off the upset.
Where Mason vs Bell Is Won And Lost
For me, Mason vs Bell comes down to timing versus tempo. If Mason imposes his pace early and lands that left hand clean, Bell's night gets very hard, very fast. If Bell boxes on the back foot and frustrates him, we could be in for a chess match. The champion is levels above in power; the challenger is levels above in miles on the clock. Something has to give.
My Prediction
I'm not sitting on the fence here. Bell is game and he'll have his moments in the middle rounds, but Mason is simply on a different level right now. I fancy the champion to break him down and get the stoppage somewhere around the eighth or ninth as Bell's legs start to go. Mason vs Bell ends with the youngest champ in boxing making a statement. If you know, you know — this kid is going right to the top.