Porter said the performance showed more than just talent.

“We saw a young man grow tonight. It was beautiful to see, too,” said Porter during TNT Sports’ post-fight show. “He came out a little hesitant because of the size, because of the height, that return fire with that straight right hand that kept coming back to Abdullah. It caused him to slow down.”

Porter credited Mason’s father and corner for recognizing what needed to change during the fight.

“Shout out to the corner. Always wondering, what does a dad know? How much can a dad really give? He gave his son everything tonight, and his son went out and implemented it all.”

Porter also recalled Mason stressing the importance of following instructions during the pre-fight meetings.

“He said in the fighter meeting, ‘I just need to listen to my corner.’ I knew that statement came from the previous fight that he just had. We saw this young man grow tonight, and he listened,” said Porter.

Mason’s adjustments paid off over the second half of the contest. After trailing on two of the three official scorecards through six rounds, he swept the closing rounds before stopping Bell 45 seconds into the 12th to improve to 21-0 (18 KOs). The victory marked the first successful defense of the WBO lightweight title he won from Sam Noakes last November.

Carrington, 18-0 (10 KOs), took command from the opening bell, using his southpaw jab, sharp footwork and accurate combinations to keep the aggressive Palacios from establishing a consistent rhythm. The Brooklyn native repeatedly controlled the distance and forced the Mexican challenger to chase him around the ring.

Palacios, 19-1-1 (10 KOs), enjoyed his best stretch in the middle rounds as he increased the pressure and attempted to turn the fight into a close-range battle. The biggest talking point came in the eighth round when a right hand behind the ear sent Carrington off balance and to the canvas. Referee Harvey Dock declined to score it a knockdown, ruling the sequence a slip or the result of an illegal punch.

Carrington responded by taking control of the closing rounds. Working behind his jab, he mixed body shots with combinations and used his movement to keep Palacios from mounting another sustained rally.

The unanimous decision improved Carrington to 18-0 (10 KOs) and completed the first defense of his WBC featherweight title. Palacios fell to 19-1-1 (10 KOs), suffering the first defeat of his professional career after going the full 12-round distance with the unbeaten champion