Boxing

Mason vows to “cook” Noakes in a brief, brutal WBO shootout

Published

11 months ago

November 21, 2025

Image: Abdullah Mason Promises to “Cook” Sam Noakes in a Short, Savage Shootout That Could Upstage the Entire Riyadh Card

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

Boxing

Sebastian Fundora vs Ermal Hadribeaj: Start Time and Live Results

Published

1 hour ago

October 17, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Sebastian Fundora vs Ermal Hadribeaj: Start Time and Live Results"

Sebastian Fundora defends his WBC super welterweight title against Ermal Hadribeaj on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, with the card starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT / 1 a.m. BST Sunday. TNT and DAZN broadcast the fight live.

Updated Oct 14, 2026, 4:34 am EDT

FIGHT DAY! Sebastian Fundora vs Ermal Hadribeaj

Sebastian Fundora

Ermal Hadribaj

Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Venue: The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas
Card starts: 8:00 pm EDT / 1:00 am BST (Sun, Oct 18 in the UK)
Expected ring walks: 11:00 pm EDT / 4:00 am BST (Sun, Oct 18 in the UK)
Weight class: super welterweight
Scheduled distance: 12 rounds

Live results will appear here on fight night.

Sebastian Fundora vs Ermal Hadribeaj
WBC super welterweight title.

Brandon Figueroa vs. Tomoki Kameda bout is now off after Figueroa fell ill overnight.

Armando Reséndiz vs Koen Mazoudier
Super middleweight, 10 rounds.

Marco Romero vs Braulio Ferreira
Super middleweight, eight rounds.

Watch Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2 on DAZN

About the author

Boxing 24/7 Wire

Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.

Boxing

Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley Rematch: Live Results and Fight Updates

Published

4 hours ago

October 17, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley Rematch: Live Results and Fight Updates

By Boxing News 24 Desk – 10/17/2026 – Comments

Dubois defends his WBO heavyweight title against Wardley on DAZN PPV at The O2 Arena in London on Saturday, October 17.

Fabio Wardley gets another crack at Daniel Dubois five months after dropping him twice but losing their first fight. Dubois recovered to stop Wardley in the 11th round in Manchester.

UPCOMING

Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley

2026-10-17 · 14:00 ET / 7:00 PM UK · O2 Arena, London · Live on DAZN

Daniel Dubois0

AFTER0ROUNDS

Fabio Wardley0

ROUNDDaniel DuboisFabio Wardley

Wardley returns as the challenger. Dubois makes his first defence against the heavyweight he dethroned in May, with DAZN PPV and DAZN Ultimate Tier carrying the rematch.

Start Time and Ring Walks

Coverage starts at 7 p.m. BST / 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT.

Dubois and Wardley are expected to make their ring walks at approximately 10:30 pm BST / 5:30 pm ET / 2:30 pm PT. All times fall on Saturday, October 17.

DAZN PPV Price

The standalone PPV costs £24.99 in the UK and $59.99 in the USincluding the undercard and main event.

DAZN Ultimate Tier subscribers receive the event without a separate PPV purchase.

Full Fight Card, Weigh-In Results and Expected Times

Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley

WBO heavyweight title

Dubois: 253.9 lbs (115.17 kg) | Wardley: 248.3 lbs (112.63 kg)

Expected ring walks: 10:30 pm BST / 5:30 pm ET / 2:30 pm PT

Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr.

British and Commonwealth lightweight titles

O’Doherty: 134.12 lbs (60.84 kg) | Gomez Jr.: 134.3 lbs (60.92 kg)

Approximate start: 9:30 pm BST / 4:30 pm ET / 1:30 pm PT

Adam Olaniyan vs Dan Garber

Heavyweight

Olaniyan: 250.15 lbs (113.47 kg) | Garber: 223.15 lbs (101.22 kg)

Approximate start: 9:10 pm BST / 4:10 pm ET / 1:10 pm PT

Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres

Heavyweight

Jalolov: 255.12 lbs (115.72 kg) | Dacres: 242.9 lbs (110.18 kg)

Approximate start: 8:10 pm BST / 3:10 pm ET / 12:10 pm PT

Nelson Birchall vs Levi Gilles

Approximate start: 7:10 pm BST / 2:10 pm ET / 11:10 am PT

Image: Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley Rematch Live Results and Fight Updates

Watch Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2 on DAZN

About the author

Boxing News 24 Desk

BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy.

Boxing

Solomon Dacres Confidently Takes on Bakhodir Jalolov in Epic Showdown

Published

5 hours ago

October 17, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Solomon Dacres Confidently Takes on Bakhodir Jalolov in Epic Showdown"

Solomon Dacres expects to stop Bakhodir Jalolov tonight, but his record offers little support for that prediction against the 6’7″ two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Jalolov has looked sluggish enough lately to give critics room for skepticism. The dominant puncher seen in the amateur ranks rarely appears in his prize ring outings, prompting a few observers to sniff an upset. Regardless, Jalolov looking flat does not suddenly transform Dacres into a top threat.

“Got to get him out of there, man,” Dacres told SecondsOut. “Mid to late rounds.”

That would be a considerable leap for a fighter whose most revealing professional result remains his first-round stoppage defeat to David Adeleye in December 2024.

Dacres describes that loss as a “blip,” but it came against the most notable opponent he had faced. Across five years as a professional, he hasn’t built a record of beating contenders that would make a Jalolov knockout seem likely.

His points win against Vladyslav Sirenko also requires context. Sirenko amassed numbers without testing himself against true threats, meaning that victory hardly proves Dacres can deal with Jalolov’s height, reach, and southpaw boxing skills.

“This fight here is beyond English title level, man,” Dacres said. “This is like world level.”

Jalolov deserves criticism for how slowly his professional career has moved and for performances that haven’t matched expectations. His Olympic medals don’t excuse that, and Dacres has an opportunity to make him work.

Expecting Dacres to win because Jalolov underwhelms ignores his own modest punch output. Managing just three stoppages across ten victories, he lacks the firepower to back up big talk.

For Dacres to land the kinds of sustained combinations required to stop someone Jalolov’s size, he has to pin him down. Jalolov does not fight like a traditional, stationary heavyweight slugger. Even when he looks uninspired, he uses lateral footwork, maintains long range with his southpaw lead hand, and angles off before opponents can set their feet.

Dacres lacks both the foot speed to cut off the ring effectively and the explosive one-punch power to make Jalolov cautious. If Dacres tries to force the issue, he’ll put himself at risk of getting caught. Pressing aggressively against a 6’7″ southpaw who excels at firing straight left hands down the pipe is asking for trouble.

Unless Jalolov completely checks out mentally and stands against the ropes to trade, Dacres will be eating long jabs and counters all night, with a Jalolov stoppage being the far more probable outcome.

Watch Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2 on DAZN

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