Boxing
Mason vows to “cook” Noakes in a brief, brutal WBO shootout
Published
6 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
Canelo responds to David Benavidez by offering him a featherlight heavyweight title fight
Published
1 hour agoon
May 23, 2026
Canelo Alvarez has commented on David Benavidez’s recent call for a clash between the two teams.
Canelo and Benavidez have been linked to a fight for many years, dating back to when they both competed at super middleweight.
While Canelo remains one of the key fighters at 168 pounds, Benavidez has since moved up the rankings, becoming the WBC featherlight heavyweight champion for the first time claiming he defeated Gilberto Ramirez earlier this month win the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.
Following this victory, Benavidez was linked to fights with the likes of Dmitry Bivol and Jai Opetaia, but he once again made it clear that he would offer Canelo a chance to win the WBC 175-pound belt.
Canelo has now responded by revealing in a media interview with Boxing News that he’s not surprised that Benavidez challenged him again, but he doubts that “The Mexican Monster” will still be able to make the featherlight heavyweight limit after moving up to cruiserweight.
“Every boxer in any category challenges me. It’s nothing modern for me. He did well in the fight [against Ramirez]. I’m not surprised [he called me out]but I don’t think he can get to 175 pounds anymore. It’s not my problem.
Canelo has already competed at 175 pounds twice, but for now a move to featherlight heavyweight seems unlikely given his current world title shot against WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli in Riyad, Saudi Arabia on September 12.
Boxing
Mayweather Legal Case: $175 Million Fraud Suit, Child Support Order
Published
3 hours agoon
May 23, 2026
Floyd Mayweather Jr. he spent Friday on both sides of the dock. The retired, undefeated former champion filed a lawsuit accusing former associates of defrauding him of at least $175 million, the same day reports surfaced that a Nevada judge had ordered him to pay more than $1 million in child support. These developments include the $340 million lawsuit Mayweather filed against Showtime in February and a number of smaller claims against him over the past few months.
$175 million fraud case
According to court documents obtained by TMZ SportsMayweather maintains that Jona Rechnitz, a former close associate, spent years gaining his trust before becoming his de facto financial manager, real estate broker and banking broker. The complaint named Rechnitz, Ayala Frist, Frist Apex Ventures and attorney Alexander Seligson, accusing the group of orchestrating a multi-year scheme that allegedly depleted Mayweather’s accounts through fraudulent investments, unauthorized wire transfers and undisclosed business entities.
Among the claims, Mayweather alleges that approximately $100 million worth of jewelry was transferred to Miami jewelers in exchange for approximately $13 million, with most of it still held by dealers; that he committed $7.5 million to an investment that never came to fruition; and that $15 million related to the real estate settlement was transferred without his consent. The filing also alleges that he unknowingly signed documents transferring ownership of his Gulfstream jet, leaving the buyer’s section blank, and that he did not know where the proceeds went. The allegations have not been tested in court and the named parties have not publicly responded as of the filing date of the lawsuit.
Maintenance order
Separately, a Nevada judge found Mayweather, 49, to be the legal father of a 4-year-old girl, Price Moorehead, and ordered him to pay $32,850 a month in continuing support and $933,050 in back payments, he claims. documents reported by Complex and originally obtained by TMZ Sports. The paternity ruling was made in March 2026. The case began in 2023, when Paige Moorehead, who, according to the documents, worked at the Mayweather’s Girl Collection club in Las Vegas, filed a paternity petition. The court granted a default judgment after Mayweather failed to comply with an order to submit to DNA testing. Data cited in the report shows that about $151,000 has been paid toward the remaining amount, and a judge has granted a lien on California properties linked to Mayweather of up to $2 million to secure payment.
Showtime Suit
The novel filings are the culmination of a $340 million lawsuit Mayweather filed in February against Showtime Networks and former Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza in Los Angeles County Superior Court. That complaint alleges that Mayweather’s former manager and advisor, Al Haymon, orchestrated a long-running financial fraud scheme involving the network and Espinoza, citing four causes of action, including aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty and civil conspiracy to commit fraud. In the complaint, Haymon was described as the architect of the alleged scheme but was not named as a defendant. Espinoza said he was surprised by the lawsuit and defended his records, while a spokesman for Showtime’s parent company, Paramount, called the claims baseless. Details of this report were described in a previous report by Boxing Insider.
The bigger financial picture
The proceedings are ongoing alongside a number of separate claims against Mayweather. He faced a $7.3 million IRS tax lien, lawsuits from two Miami jewelers over unpaid bills, a dispute over more than $300,000 in unpaid rent for a Manhattan apartment and a claim for private jet services. Mayweather, who retired in 2017 with a 50-0 record, remains lively in the exhibition ring and has been linked with a rematch with Manny Pacquiao scheduled for September in Las Vegas.
Boxing
Devin Haney reignites debate over Vasily Lomachenko’s decision
Published
5 hours agoon
May 23, 2026
Three years later, Devin Haney is still defending the most disputed victory of his career, and after his latest post on X, fans immediately turned their attention back to the fight with Vasily Lomachenko.
Haney reacted after criticism of George Kambosos Jr.’s journey. to become undisputed in the lightweight division, reminding people that he defended his belts against Lomachenko after defeating Kambosos twice in Australia.
Great and all… don’t forget that the belts were defended against Loma 😎 https://t.co/c95r79Beos
— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) May 23, 2026
The response quickly reopened one of boxing’s longest-running arguments of the last few years. A huge portion of fans and media members still believe that Lomachenko deserved the decision for the May 2023 fight in Las Vegas, especially after the way he finished the second half of the fight.
Many observers scored the championship rounds for Lomachenko, with round ten remaining the biggest point of controversy. Referee Dave Moretti awarding this round to Haney was met with weighty criticism at the time, and is still regularly mentioned when the fight is discussed on the Internet.
Others defended Haney’s victory as a close but reasonable decision based on his early work, jabs, body shots and distance control. Haney also entered the fight with major physical advantages over Lomachenko, including youth, height and reach.
Haney was 24 when he fought Lomachenko, who was already 35 and further into his career. Haney also had a significant reach advantage and was viewed by many as the naturally bigger lightweight.
The fight continues to divide opinion across boxing, with some fans still calling it a robbery while others see it as a final decision that could reasonably have gone either way.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most essential fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
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Last updated: 23/05/2026 at 8:32
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