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

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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.

Last update: 21/11/2025

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Sergei Gorokhov KO toppled after ring invasion in Turkey

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Image: Sergei Gorokhov KO Overturned After Ring Invasion in Turkey

Gorokhov (16-11-2) had already done damage with large shots, finishing Kalkan (7-0, 4 KO) with a spotless knockout that forced the referee to wave his hand. The task has been completed.

After being detained, Gorokhov walked to the opposite corner, where a fight began. That was enough. The cornermen ran inside, the voices became piercing, followed by punches. Within seconds, many people entered the ring.

The situation got out of the referee’s control. The horns could not be separated. Once the non-fighters make it through the ropes, the result will be written in the record books.

The footage showed flying chairs and people trading on ropes as security tried to take control of the situation. The recording shows objects thrown near the ropes. The announcements to stop the fight didn’t change anything. The ring is already gone.

The sanctioning authority has confined powers and the ruling follows standard procedure. When the ropes are broken and extra hands are involved, the score cannot stand and is removed from the scoresheet.

An investigation is ongoing and suspensions and penalties are expected once reports are submitted. The verdict now comes from the officials, not the blows that ended it.

Kalkan keeps his undefeated record in the books. Gorokhov leaves without the victory he earned. Disciplinary action is expected following the investigation.

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Oleksandr Usyk said he “can’t run away” from the newly emerged title challenger: “I will bully him”

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Oleksandr Usyk told that he ‘cannot run’ from newly emerged title contender: “I’ll bully him”

Although Oleksandr Usyk presented his three-fight plan, a recent challenger entered the fight with hopes of taking a shot at the Ukrainian and winning the unified world heavyweight titles.

Next month’s meeting with Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven kicks off what Usyk envisioned as a series of three hand-picked fights before his planned retirement in 2027, with his next dance partner being the winner of Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois.

However, the WBC is expected to demand that Usyk fight mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel in his next fight, and promoter Frank Warren believes he will be stripped of his belt if he fails to face the undefeated German.

Meanwhile, the WBA and IBF titles are not on the line against Verhoeven, which has fight fans wondering whether Usyk could soon be stripped of those belts as well.

Although if Usyk defends the WBA crown, Jarrell Miller will be waiting for him after him on Saturday evening he defeated Lenier Pero in the WBA eliminator final rise to title contention.

I’m talking to Fighting Hub TV after “Gigantic Baby” won, he told Usyk that there was nowhere to run or hide when fighting him.

“He’s a great fighter, man, but when you’re fighting a bully like me, there’s nowhere to run or hide. Usyk doesn’t really have crazy punching power, and he has trouble with guys who punch to the body and throw a lot of punches.”

This performance [against Pero] it was just a taste of what I could do. So the most essential thing is to go back and get the drawing board back. Let’s work and be ready for everyone.

I want Usyk to come back after the Rico fight and I can spank him.

If Usyk loses the WBA title, Miller could find himself in line for a title fight with current WBA Regular titleholder Murat Gassiew, who expected to be promoted to full champion. Although Moses Itauma would probably get the first shot at the proposed scrap with the Russian.

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David Benavidez has no room for error in the fight against Ramirez

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Image: David Benavidez Has No Room for Error vs Ramirez

Benavidez enters Saturday’s fight with Gilberto Ramirez in a situation where even a tiny defeat may have a higher price than one defeat in history. Greater opportunities lie ahead, but those plans depend on beating Ramirez cleanly and leaving Las Vegas intact.

Benavidez will meet Ramirez on May 2 in Las Vegas in a fight for Ramirez’s WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles for $79.99. On paper, this is a bold move as Benavidez makes the jump from lightweight heavyweight to challenge an established titleholder who has already established himself in the division.

The pressure on Benavidez goes far beyond physical titles. For months, his name has been linked to huge opportunities at 175 pounds, most notably a clash with Dmitry Bivol. A loss to Ramirez would immediately derail those plans, forcing Benavidez into a rebuilding phase and delaying any significant career moves for the foreseeable future.

Winning in an ugly or narrow way can still invite skepticism. Benavidez is known for his constant pressure and high efficiency, and recently he has had a record of immaculate shots and has been forced to persevere in hard moments. Facing naturally larger opponents makes these defensive mistakes much more steep in the long run.

Ramirez may lack elite strength, but he has the experience and durability of a seasoned cruiserweight. He also enters the ring with much less weight on his shoulders than the challenger. All the pressure to perform rests entirely on Benavidez.

Therefore, the risk for Benavidez is much higher than for the man holding the belts. A victory will ensure that his path to mass fights remains clear, while any other result could immediately ruin his momentum and force him to spend time fighting Ramirez again. Getting stuck twice in the Ramirez fight would be a nightmare for Benavidez.

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