Boxing
Mason vows to “cook” Noakes in a brief, brutal WBO shootout
Published
4 months agoon
Abdullah Mason says he will “cook” in his fight for the vacant WBO lightweight title against No. 2 Sam Noakes on Saturday night in their undercard slot at the ANB Arena in Riyad.
Mason (19-0, 17 KO) wants this fight to be a war and feels he has enough skills to defeat the powerful Noakes (17-0, 15 KO). The stakes of this fight are very high. Winning the WBO lightweight title would open the way for the winner to lucrative fights with Shakur Stevenson and potentially Gervonta Davis if he shows pre-retirement ambition.
Why this one steals the show
“This might be the highlight of the night,” commentator Todd Grisham said DAZN about Saturday’s fight between Abdullah Mason and Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight title.
There is a very good chance that Mason-Noakes will distract from the headliner and other fights on Saturday. Only on paper, Mason and Noakes promise to be more fascinating fights than those on the card.
Mason (21) and Noakes will be giving their all in this fight. They both know they can’t afford to box because their opponent will be fighting for a knockout.
“They know someone is going to fall. A lot of power in both players. They are guys who can punch challenging,” said Sergio Mora. “Abdullah Mason, he’s towering, skinny, but he’s fallen before. Someone gets knocked out.”
Readiness for war is in Noakes and Mason’s DNA. One of these fighters will be knocked out and there is a chance it will end early, within four rounds. They both have too much firepower not to end sooner.
Mason’s appetite for smoke
“We’ll be cooking tomorrow night. I’m craving a cigarette,” Mason said.
The concern with Mason is that he wasn’t prepared for the type of opponent he would face in Noakes. Abdullah’s promoters at Top Rank pitted him against delicate opponents throughout his four-year professional career. So this is a huge step up.
“Power and strength,” Noakes said Queensberry when asked what advantage he had over Mason. “Of course he is a very good boxer, but we will see on Saturday. I think I will shock a lot of people on Saturday night and I think there will be some respect for my name after that.”
Noakes adds power
Noakes has the power advantage in this fight. But what makes Mason hazardous is his uppercuts and long range. He goes crazy with his uppercuts and isn’t afraid to risk getting cut. The long, looping shots he throws make it challenging for opponents to track the angle of incoming fire.
“I feel like after this I will gain a huge fan base in the UK. Maybe even bigger than my fan base in the US,” Abdullah said. “I hear how committed they are to boxing and how much they love the sport. The stadiums are always packed. For me to get some of those fans on Saturday would be huge for me. It’s a great opportunity for me to get those fans.”
British stardom in Mason’s mind
For Mason to become a star in the UK, he would have to fight there regularly. It’s not enough for him to simply beat Noakes and expect him to become a national star overnight.
If he stays at the top long enough, like Canelo Alvarez, British fans will want to see him fight in gigantic numbers. It’s still too early to know whether Abdullah will be a long-term fighter in the sport and whether he’ll be able to compete above 135 pounds at 140 and 147. It’s not a good sign that Mason is already suffering from injuries against weaker fighters who aren’t top-shelf.
Bob Smith wrote for Boxing News 24 since 2008, making him one of the site’s longest-serving contributors. With over a decade of experience, he has established himself as a senior boxing writer who accurately covers the global fight scene.
Bob’s work includes fight reports, news and features featuring world champions and emerging fighters alike, giving fans a clear picture of the sport’s past and present. Known for his consistency, accuracy and deep understanding of boxing, Bob remains a trusted voice for readers who want to stay up to date with global martial arts news.
Last update: 21/11/2025
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Boxing
Oleksandr Usyk announces the list of his last three opponents and confirms that he will then retire
Published
1 hour agoon
March 10, 2026
Oleksandr Usyk still has three fights left and hopes to extend his record to 27-0 before hanging up his gloves for good.
The elite Ukrainian was undisputed at cruiserweight before repeating the feat twice at heavyweight. In both divisions, he has victories over Murat Gassiew, Mairis Briedis, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
I keep talking Inside the RingUsyk assured fans that while this fight may not be at the elite level he is known for, his last two fights will be.
“Rico, this is the first one. Second, Wardley-Dubois wins. The third fight is my friend Greedy Belly, Tyson Fury.”
When asked how much time he had left, Usyk confirmed that he was three years aged and had not played.
Fabio Wardley rose from interim to full WBO champion when Usyk vacated the belt last year, and he puts that status on the line against Dubois on May 9 in Manchester. If “DDD” wins tonight, Usyk’s last two scheduled fights could be trilogy fights.
The 39-year-old from Simferopol defeated Dubois and Fury twice, stopping the former in both cases and the latter on points. Fan interest in the fights may therefore be circumscribed.
However, if Wardley manages to remain with the organization in two months’ time, many would like to see the Ipswich fighter team up with the Usyk fighter who has established himself as the greatest heavyweight of a generation.
Whether this would be an uncontested fight seems unlikely. Although Usyk’s WBC belt in the match with Verhoeven is controversial, the IBF and WBA have not commented on this fight yet.
Moreover, the WBC has ordered Usyk to face Agit Kabayel next, which is clearly not in his plans. This means that it may be stripped of all three lanes in the near future.
“I just want to fight in Dublin to finish my career. Of course we’re still hoping for Croke Park, holding on to a little bit of hope that it will happen,” Taylor told RTE.
“Fighting my last fight in our most iconic arena. How special would that be? I think it would be absolutely extraordinary if I was able to do it. I’m not sure if it will happen or not. Either way, I will end my career here and I’m very excited about that.”
Taylor has only fought twice in Ireland as a professional, both fights will take place in 2023 against Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena in Dublin. Cameron won her first fight by majority decision, handing Taylor the only defeat of her career, before Taylor regained the undisputed junior welterweight championship six months later in a rematch.
The 38-year-old Irish star remains one of the greatest fighters in women’s boxing history. Taylor won Olympic gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics before turning professional and quickly winning world titles in two categories. In 2019, she became the undisputed lightweight champion and later repeated the feat at 140 pounds.
Much of Taylor’s recent profile has been built on her rivalry with Amanda Serrano. Their first fight at Madison Square Garden in 2022 was widely celebrated and helped augment the visibility of women’s boxing. Taylor later completed the trilogy by majority vote in July, increasing her record to 25-1 (6 KO).
The possibility of saying goodbye to the stadium became the subject of interest for its long-time promoter. Hearn admitted it would take significant work to turn the idea into reality, but he believes this moment will be historic for Irish sport.
“It’s a hell of a lot of work to make sure one of the greatest athletes of all time fulfills her biggest dream. And I have to deliver Croke Park. I have to,” Hearn said on The Ariel Helwani Show.
“If I don’t give it my all, if I don’t put in every effort to make it happen, I won’t do justice to Katie and I won’t do it to myself. Because it would be the biggest sporting event in Irish history.”
Hearn said talks with Croke Park officials had taken place previously and had resumed as Taylor’s career came to an end.
“There is more momentum this time,” he said.
No opponent has been determined for Taylor’s last fight. Hearn said the focus remains on determining whether the stadium plan can be secured before making any player selections.
“Obviously you want to have an opponent who is compelling, competitive and has a story behind it,” Hearn said. “Nothing has really been discussed or said about the opponent. We are really trying to ensure that discussions with Croke Park allow for that possibility before we pursue it further.”
Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most crucial fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.
Boxing
Gervonta Davis is close to returning to action, according to her opponent’s name
Published
5 hours agoon
March 10, 2026
It looks like Gervonta Davis is one step away from confirming her return to the ring.
Davis last fought in March 2025, when he earned a majority draw with Lamont Roach to defend his WBA lightweight title.
It was a controversial result, with many feeling that Roach had done enough to get the nod, especially after a knockdown was not awarded in his favor after “Tank” voluntarily chose to take a knee in round nine.
The next 12 months left many in doubt as to whether Davis would return to play at all. A planned exhibition with Jake Paul in November has been canceled over the Baltimore man’s naming in a civil lawsuit over domestic allegations, the latest in a string of issues going beyond the ropes.
Another drama occurred after an arrest warrant was issued for “Tank”, citing similar accusations, which led to him being stripped of his WBA lightweight title.
Regardless, it looks like Davis is ready to make a comeback after this happened Reported by Mike Coppinger that he is in advanced talks about a fight with Isaac Cruz, the man whom “Tank” considered his number one target at the end of last year.
Davis has already secured a victory over Cruz, who last fought in December when he fought to a majority draw against former foe “Tank” Roach – a fighter he believes should be given a chance to face him again.
Oleksandr Usyk announces the list of his last three opponents and confirms that he will then retire
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