Boxing
Mason breaks down the Ring’s top six after a brutal war with Noakes
Published
4 months agoon
Abdullah Mason (20-0, 17 KO) is currently ranked 6th in the latest lightweight ring rankings after his 12-round unanimous decision over Sam Noakes (17-1, 15 KO) to capture the vacant WBO belt last Saturday, November 22 at Ring IV in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.
Mason breaks down
At just 21 years antique, Mason defeated Noakes in by far the most exhilarating fight on Turki Alalashikha’s loaded card on DAZN PPV. The scores were 115-113, 117-111 and 115-113.
Fans want him to be higher
Some fans on social media believe Mason should be on the Ring’s updated 135-pound list, along with 2020 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz, William Zepeda and IBF belt holder Raymond Muratalla.
What may be holding Abdullah back is his age and the fight he had against Noakes. He did not dominate this fight and was forced to box due to the punishment he suffered. Cuban Cruz and puncher Zepeda would pose a problem for Noakes due to their different styles.
Updated The Ring lightweight rankings
- Shakur Stevenson
- Gervonta Davis
- Raymond Muratalla
- William Zepeda
- Andy Cruz
- Abdullah Mason
- Floyd Schofield
- Denys Berinchyk
- Sam Noakes
- Lucas Bahdi
The Ring panel’s placement of WBC lightweight champion Shakur (24-0, 11 KO) at No. 1 is a questionable move because he hasn’t fought a good enough opponent since moving up to 135 pounds in 2023. Moreover, he failed to impress in his fights against William Zepeda on July 12, 2025 and Edwin De Los Santos on November 16, 2023.
Cruz vs eye test
Judging by the eye test, Shakur is not No. 1 material. The diamond at level 135 is Andy Cruz (6-0, 3 KO). He looks the best of his six-fight career, showing off the skill, speed and strength that set him apart from any fighter in his weight class.
Promoted by Matchroom, Cruz will fight IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla on January 24, 2026 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas in Las Vegas. This will give the 29-year-old Cruz the opportunity to show fans who have never seen him before why Nation Vegas considers him the No. 1 lightweight fighter.
Nation Vegas Rankings
- Andy Cruz
- Floyd Schofield
- William Zepeda
- Abdullah Mason
- Raymond Muratalla
- Gervonta Davis
- Shakur Stevenson
- Sam Noakes
- Denys Berinchyk
- Łukasz Baldi
Nation Vegas has been writing about fighting games since 2012 and is currently a featured writer Boxing News 24. Over the years, it has built a reputation for extensive coverage of both major events and emerging prospects, delivering news, fight reports and features that connect with fans around the world.
With over a decade of experience, Nation combines insightful analysis with an accessible style, making his work a trusted source for readers who want to follow sports from every angle. His consistency and passion for boxing have made him a respected voice on the site.
Last update: 25/11/2025
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Boxing
Swiss No. 1 Seifeddine Letaief challenges rival Arbnor Jashari
Published
2 minutes agoon
March 10, 2026
Swiss lightweight Seifeddine Letaief told World Boxing News he is ready to settle his growing ring rivalry with fellow undefeated fighter Arbnor Jashari.
Letaief is currently in first place in the Swiss rankings for his division, while Jashari is in second place, which is a natural matchup between the two undefeated fighters.
A meeting between the pair would pit the two highest-ranked lightweights in the country against each other.
Tensions escalated with exchanges on social media, FaceTime calls about a potential fight and exchanges of words.
According to Letaief, the rivalry even escalated to the point that Jashari tried to involve the SwissBoxing committee.
“At one point he even tried to block me from SwissBoxing, claiming that I had humiliated him on social media,” Letaief told World Boxing News.
Swiss competition
Letaief insists that from his point of view the situation is plain. The undefeated lightweight says he is ready to fight and believes the fight should happen now rather than later.
“I’m ready to fight and decide everything in the ring,” he explained.
SwissBoxing has suggested waiting until both fighters have built bigger physiques before moving on to staging the fight, but Letaief believes the circumstances already make it an attractive fight for the local scene.
The clash between the No. 1 and No. 2 players in the country, combined with the rivalry between Zurich and Basel, may arouse great interest in Switzerland.
Unbroken records
Letaief, 23, turned professional in September 2024 and has compiled an undefeated record of 6-0, including two knockouts. He lives in Winterthur and has fought several times in the Zurich region, establishing himself as one of the country’s emerging prospects.
Meanwhile, Jashari has had a slightly longer professional career. The 25-year-old made his debut in April 2022 and has a 7-0 record, which includes two knockouts.
Both fighters also share a common opponent, Lasha Giorgi Vardiashvili, and each of them scored a six-round decision victory in 2025.
For now, the fight that many in the Swiss boxing community want to see remains unsigned, and Letaief has made it clear he is ready to move forward as soon as the opportunity arises.
“Despite all these talks, the fight has still not been decided. For me, the matter is plain: I am ready to fight and decide everything in the ring. I believe that this fight must take place now,” Letaief concluded.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
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.
Swiss No. 1 Seifeddine Letaief challenges rival Arbnor Jashari
Oleksandr Usyk announces the list of his last three opponents and confirms that he will then retire
Eddie Hearn fights for Katie Taylor in Croke Park
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