Mason And Carrington Retain World Championships In Cleveland

While it is not unusual to see a Boxing card occur on the weekend of the July 4th holiday here in the United States, it is a bit unusual to see a card staged on the holiday itself, even when it falls on a Saturday. This, however, was exactly what occurred during the 2026 4th of July holiday as two undefeated world champions, each a rising star in the sport, defended their crowns for the first time at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland,OH.

First up to defend his title was WBC World Featherweight champion Bruce Carrington as he faced North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Featherweight champion Rene Palacios. From the opening bell, Carrington’s ability to use angles, be disciplined defensively, and just displaying a higher skillset than his opponent was the story of the contest that tended to follow a pattern. Palacios came forward trying to push the champion back, but either missing punches and/or being countered by Carrington. While there was a difference in both hand speed and reaction time between the two fighters that also favored the champion, to his credit, Palacios never stopped trying to find a way to turn things around and did have some periodic success as the fight progressed in landing his left hand. 

It would be one such left hand that produced a slight controversy in round seven when one landed on the back of Carrington’s head and sent him down to the canvas briefly. Although some felt this should have been ruled a knockdown in the challenger’s favor, it was an illegal blow that, while unintentional, was correctly ruled an illegal punch by Referee Harvey Dock. Though Palacios was able to land a few more solid right hands over the second half of the scheduled twelve round world championship bout, he was unable to form a consistent attack that would have likely resulted in him winning a few rounds as Carrington cruised to a wide and otherwise uneventful twelve round unanimous decision to retain his portion of the World Featherweight championship. More thoughts on Carrington’s future will follow at the conclusion of this column.

This brings us to the second half of this doubleheader as undefeated WBO World Lightweight champion Abdullah Mason defended his crown for the first time in front of his hometown crowd. Originally, Mason was to defend the title against former IBF Jr. Lightweight world champion Joe Cordina, who was the WBO number one Lightweight contender, however, this was changed on a little more than fourteen days notice when Cordina, who hails from Cadiff, Wales in the United Kingdom, was denied entry into the United States for the bout. In stepped undefeated WBO number six rated contender Albert Bell, who under circumstances that were not ideal, was getting his first opportunity at a world championship. 

Some might argue the change in opponent from a stylistic standpoint made this a more interesting fight on paper than had Mason been able to fulfill his mandatory defense obligation in facing Cordina. This was due to both Mason and Bell being boxer/punchers, but it was Mason, who had scored knockouts in seventeen of his twenty career wins in comparison to Bell’s nine knockouts in twenty-eight previous professional fights prior to this encounter. Although the edge in terms of punching power tipped towards the champion statistically, this observer thought we were likely to see a tactical chess match between the two fighters early on. Both fighters knew what the other could do and when you get a scenario like that as the two fighters were sparring partners for each other in training previously in their careers, it can make for a bit of hesitation in terms of which fighter will make the first move as well as who can establish a tempo. Bell began this fight by landing a short counter right hand to the jaw of Mason. It became clear fairly early that my instinct in thinking this would evolve into a tactical battle once the two fighters were inside the ring was spot on. It would be the right hand of Bell that would prove to be a focal point in the early rounds as it was the primary weapon for him both as a tool to counter the champion as well as one to catch the champion as he was trying to apply pressure and come forward. A right hand from the challenger opened a cut over Mason’s left eye in the second round.

What stood out here was not simply that Bell was having success in landing his right hand, it was that he was accurate in doing so and showed great discipline in simply waiting for his openings and taking advantage of them when they presented themselves. Through the first three rounds, I felt Bell won all three based on these attributes. 

Bell’s patience and ability to subtly pot shot the champion continued to carry itself through the first half of the fight. It would be in round seven, however, where the champion Mason started to break through as he landed a few solid left hands that got Bell’s attention and appeared to wake up the crowd in attendance that Bell had succeeded in taking out of the fight with his approach and being able to limit Mason’s offensive output. It was that left hand in the seventh that started a gradual building of momentum for Mason as he continued to press forward, but when he landed it was with hard solid punches.

The pressure, gradual success with body shots, and landing the harder punches continued to carry the momentum in the champion’s favor as Mason continued to make up ground on the scorecards. Gradually, the pressure and heavier blows of Mason began to slow Bell down and break through what had been his stellar defense during the first half of the twelve round world championship bout. 

Although Mason had clearly turned the ebb and flow in his favor after eleven rounds, yours truly felt it was a close fight and, despite Mason being in his hometown, I questioned just how many rounds early was Albert Bell able to win that may have been able to hold off a clear rally by the champion. It would be in the twelfth and final round, however, that any and all questions regarding the scoring of the fight would turn out to be moot. Mason lunged forward at the beginning of round twelve and dropped Bell with a solid left hook to the jaw that sent the challenger down on his knees. 

Bell was able to beat the count, but the champion sensing his opponent was in trouble went in for the finish.A left hand to the temple would drop Bell for a second time. Unlike the first knockdown, Bell was not given the benefit of a count and the bout was stopped. Quite frankly, I felt at the time of the stoppage that Bell was fatigued and was in trouble. Having said that,veteran referee Mark Nelson, inexplicably did not count Bell following the second knockdown and did not look at Bell’s eyes.

 It seemed like he simply stopped the fight as Bell was once again on his knees. If one were honest, two knockdowns within the first forty seconds of a round would appear to be an indication that the fighter that was knocked to the canvas was in trouble and on the verge of being stopped. Given that Bell had put forth a solid performance throughout the contest, however, he at minimum deserved a second count and a chance to show he could continue to try and finish the fight. 

While I personally have my doubts as to whether Bell would have made it to the final bell, he was not dropped hard and seemed in possession of all of his faculties at the time when the fight was stopped. For a referee in Nelson, who has officiated over nearly 1200 professional bouts in his thirty-four year career dating back to 1992, and is regarded as one of the best in the sport. In this instance, I feel he jumped the gun, but the probability that the fight may have been stopped if it had continued I feel was significantly high given that Bell was fatigued and Mason was perched to try and finish things if it were allowed to go on. 

Abdullah Mason was tested for the first time in his career in this title defense. While some feel the stoppage was controversial, a word too closely associated with combat sports, as a fighter and a world champion, Mason did what he had to do, which is all one can really ask of a fighter. Albert Bell was able to give the champion a scare and though not the ideal set up if you are a promoter or matchmaker looking for a showcase performance for a young world champion in their hometown, this fight and the way it was fought will have more benefit for Mason in the long-term than a quick knockout over an overmatched opponent would have. 

For Bruce Carrington, he also did what he needed to do to retain his world title. It may not have been the most entertaining contest depending on one's perspective, but a fighter and more specifically, a champion's objective is to win. Even if achieving victory means that one is not appreciated fully for their skillset.

As for what is next for both champions, it will be interesting to see if Joe Cordina will maintain his number one ranking in the WBO's Lightweight ratings, despite being denied entry into the United States. Perhaps the focus will shift towards making the original encounter that was to take place on this card with Mason at a different location outside of the United States, with the United Kingdom likely viewed as a viable option. 

In regard to the Featherweight division perhaps a fighter like the unbeaten Omar Trinidad, who is currently rated number three in the WBC Featherweight ratings could be next for Bruce Carrington. A more likely choice at least in the immediate future might be current WBC number one Featherweight contender Cristobal Lorente, who like Trinidad is unbeaten, but will almost certainly be ruled as the mandatory challenger by the WBC per his number one ranking. 

With both Mason and Carrington being promoted by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum's Top Rank Inc. It will also be interesting to see if the plan from a promotional standpoint is to stage another card or two with them as co-headliners, particularly due to their recent alignment with digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN that likes to showcase multiple stars on their cards when possible. In this case, you have two young world champions that are just starting to emerge as stars in the sport and from a network standpoint, having two fighters at similar stages in their careers fighting consistently on the same cards is an effective hook to draw in viewers as each fighter continues to progress. If it makes sense from a business perspective, this observer does not see a reason why another card like this should not be staged. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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Top Rank Presents World Championship Twin Bill On July 4th On DAZN/TNT Sports

On May 16th, Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. embarked on a new era when they debuted on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, following nearly a year of uncertainty as to the future following Top Rank’s exit from ESPN after eight years. While that debut event did not provide much highlights as Keyshawn Davis scored a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over Nahir Albright in their anticipated rematch, the promotion’s second event figures to provide potentially “Fireworks.” This observer is referring to Top Rank’s return to DAZN on Saturday, July 4th where two of Boxing's hottest rising stars will defend their world titles in separate twelve round bouts at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH.

First up will be undefeated WBC World Featherweight champion Bruce Carrington making the first defense of his world title against undefeated current North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Featherweight champion Rene Palacios. Carrington won the WBC World Featherweight championship in January of this year with a ninth round knockout of Carlos Castro in New York’s Madison Square Garden. With a record of 17-0, with 10 Knockouts, the recently crowned champion has a good mix of hand speed and punching power and having successfully made the transition from prospect, to contender, to a world champion, the task for Carrington now is to show that he can perform to the standard that most think of when they talk about world champions. Though he has proven to this point that he could climb the ladder of contention all the way to the top and did not face much resistance on his path to becoming a world champion, the competition level is likely to only increase as a champion rather than as a fighter chasing a world title.

This first title defense for Carrington presents something of a unique scenario. Both champion and challenger are unbeaten going into this encounter, and both are at least statistically, at similar stages of their respective careers. In Rene Palacios, Carrington will face someone with slightly more experience with a record of 19-0-1 with 10 Knockouts. Palacios won the WBC-affiliated NABF Featherweight title in his last fight in January with a ten round split decision over Sulaiman Segawa in Maryland. While this fight has the appearance of a dual between two boxer/punchers, a potential red flag at least in the eyes of some is Palacios has only fought here in the United States twice in his career and with the exception of his NABF title win, has not fought what could be defined as a household name to this point in his career. Palacios’ fight against Sulaiman Segawa was ugly at points and was an encounter that did not necessarily mesh well, but one thing Palacios was able to do throughout that fight was stay in close where he was essentially pinned to Segawa’s chest. Though it did not necessarily make for the most entertaining fight depending on one's perspective, it proved at least on that occasion to be an effective strategy because he was able to limit Segawa’s offensive output and was able to grind out a decision victory. Whether or not Palacios can show that he is ready for what will likely be viewed as a step up by trying to implement a similar strategy in this fight against the unbeaten champion Bruce Carrington remains to be seen. 

The second main event on the card will feature undefeated WBO World Lightweight champion Abdullah Mason defending his title against WBO number six contender Albert Bell. Much like Bruce Carrington, Abdullah Mason appears to be on the fast track to becoming one of the next potential superstars of the sport. In his last fight, Mason scored a hard fought twelve round unanimous decision over a very determined Sam Noakes to win the vacant WBO World Lightweight championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November of last year. It was that fight, though a victory for Mason, that brought an end to a knockout streak of nine consecutive fights. Nevertheless, with a record of 20-0, with 17 Knockouts, Mason has continued to impress with each performance inside the ring. 

Now as a champion, Mason embarks on a new chapter in his career, but not the start of it that he expected. As most know, Mason was originally scheduled to defend his title against former IBF World Jr. Lightweight world champion Joe Cordina. Cordina, however, was forced to withdraw from the fight due to being denied entry into the United States from his native England for the bout due to visa issues. In steps Bell on a little more than two weeks' notice to challenge Mason for the title. 

Bell, will enter what will be his first opportunity at a world championship unbeaten with a record of 28-0, with 9 Knockouts, and has been a longtime contender in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight and 135lb. Lightweight divisions having won regional titles at the IBF North American and North American Boxing Organization (NABO) levels to name a few. Although this will be his first shot at a world title, Bell does have the experience and skillset to potentially give Mason some problems. It will be interesting to see how the two fighters’ styles mesh up stylistically. What should not be overlooked is both champion and challenger are in a situation where both will have to adjust to a new opponent on limited notice and that aspect alone always seems to carry a bit of the unknown with it. Like the champion, Bell was in preparation to face a different opponent on this card and though a golden opportunity knocked on his door here with an opportunity to fight for a world title, it is nevertheless an adjustment for the challenger as much as it is the champion. 

While this card will be another in a growing list of cards broadcast by DAZN in an ever growing roster of promotional partners, this card will also be the first in a partnership with cable network TNT under “The Fight” series moniker. Although some have been critical of this partnership and have used it in a way to criticize DAZN and paint a picture of possible financial trouble, this observer feels simulcasting select events via a cable network like TNT will be beneficial for both entities. For DAZN, it is obvious that it can be used as a way to both promote and grow its network by trying to attract new eyes who may not be familiar with their network and the fact that it is both streaming and subscription-based. For TNT, who recently lost its long-standing NBA rights and may be part of a much wider acquisition between its current parent company WarnerDiscovery and Paramount, the deal with DAZN provides sports programming and and a way to try and fill dates in the schedule with sports programming in the absence of NHL Hockey, where they still hold broadcast rights. Some may not be old enough to remember, or may have forgotten that there was a brief period in the 1990s where TNT, a sister network of HBO, the one time Boxing powerhouse and proclaimed “Network of Champions” did air Boxing programming under the “Title Night on TNT” moniker, with its own broadcast team and its own events separate from HBO. Though the series did not last long and came during a time where TNT aimed at an older demographic and whose sports programming was limited to the now defunct WCW wrestling, NBA games, and sporadic Nascar and PGA Golf. 

Perhaps at that time, the brain trusts of one of the numerous corporate entities that TNT and its sister networks fell under at the time, felt that because HBO was such a powerhouse in the sport at the time that there was no need for a separate Boxing property on a different network within the corporate portfolio that HBO and TNT fell under at the time. Though this agreement between DAZN and TNT is a simulcast deal and it will be DAZN’s logo, presentation, and broadcast airing on TNT, if it turns out to be successful it may lead to more Boxing programming on the network, which can only be viewed as a positive for the sport. It is something that all involved with the sport should be rooting for.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Fight: Mason vs. Bell / Carrington vs. Palacios takes place on Saturday, July 4th at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH. The full card can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 7PM ET/4PM PT and will also be simulcast on TNT in the United States on cable/Live TV providers at the aforementioned start times.

(*North American Start Times Only.* Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

For more information about TNT including schedules and channel numbers on your cable/Live TV provider please visit: www.TNTDrama.com. 

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BREAKING: Cordina Out, Bell In To Challenge WBO World Lightweight champion Abdullah Mason

It has been announced that former IBF Jr. Lightweight world champion and current WBO number one Lightweight contender Joe Cordina has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled fight against undefeated WBO World Lightweight champion Abdullah Mason on July 4th at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH. Cordina’s withdrawal comes as a result of being denied entry into the United States from his native United Kingdom. The bout, which was to headline a world title doubleheader promoted by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Inc. and broadcast worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN will go forward with Mason now defending his title against WBO number six rated contender Albert Bell. It remains unclear as of this writing as to whether the World Boxing Organization (WBO) will recognize this as a mandatory title defense for Mason seeing as Cordina is the official mandatory challenger, or if there will be an attempt to reschedule the bout if Cordina’s Visa issues are resolved, assuming Mason is able to retain his title against Bell. We will keep readers updated on developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Belated Ring IV Thoughts

The fourth event held under the Ring Magazine banner titled Ring IV, which was held at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 22nd was promoted as a night of champions. It is indeed true that the event featured four world championship fights that produced a variety that just about every type of Boxing fan is bound to have an opinion on. The most dominant performance of the evening in the view of this observer was the one put forth by WBC/WBO Jr. Bantamweight world champion Jesse Rodriguez, who defended his title against WBA number one contender and former IBF Jr. Bantamweight world champion Fernando Martinez.

After an opening round where Martinez seemed to narrowly get the better of the action and was able to land some hard punches particularly with his right hand, Rodriguez simply went to work. From the second round on, the champion put forth what can only be described as a “Masterclass" in displaying a full arsenal of Boxing skills. A display of lateral movement, defense, counter punching, and hand speed that Rodriguez frankly made his opponent, a world-class top contender and former world champion look outclassed to the point where what was going on in the ring looked more like a sparring session where a world champion was preparing for a fight rather than a defense ot a unified world championship. Although as high a compliment to Rodriguez skillset and standing in the sport as one of the top fighters currently active in Boxing, the one-sided combat may not have been appreciated for the dominant performance that it was. Perhaps a reason for that is it had the unenviable task of following a fight that will be discussed at the conclusion of this column that frankly stole the show and from an entertainment standpoint seemed to exhaust the crowd in attendance during the overnight hours in Saudi Arabia.

Nevertheless, Rodriguez’ performance was as good an illustration as any why so many, including yours truly regard him as the top fighter in the 115lb. Jr. Bantamweight division. Just as it appeared as though the champion was content to box his way to a wide unanimous decision victory, Rodriguez unleashed a brutal left hook to the jaw that sent Martinez down on his back for the ten count on the canvas in the tenth round. The fight was over. For the champion, his sixteenth knockout in twenty three professional fights also signaled the eighth successful title defense for Rodriguez. Simply put, it was as close to a flawless performance as one could draw up. If there is one criticism one might have it could be that Rodriguez waited a little longer than perhaps he should have to end the fight as it became apparent after six rounds that the contest had been decided and Fernando Martinez, though very “Game” was simply outclassed by a fighter that will likely be a Hall of Famer when all is said and done. 

Perhaps one of the most anticipated fights on the card took place in the 147lb. Welterweight division as undefeated WBO world champion Brian Norman Jr. defended his title against unbeaten former two-division world champion Devin Haney. An encounter that seemed rooted in legitimate bad blood between the fighters and their fathers, who were the respective trainers for their respective offspring. By now, most Boxing fans are familiar with the recent history of Devin Haney, a fighter who is one of the best currently in the entire sport, but one who recently suffered what was thought to be the first loss of his career, only to have his record restored due to his opponent Ryan Garcia testing positive for a banned substance. In his one outing since that controversy, prior to this fight earlier this year in Times Square in New York City, Haney did rebound and resumed his undefeated ways by scoring a twelve round unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Ramirez, but failed in terms of producing the type of crowd pleasing performance that fueled demand for a fight like this. Despite that fact, on this night Haney produced a career best performance.

After an uneventful opening round where neither fighter did much, to the surprise of many, Haney responded in the second round dropping the champion with a short, but crisp left hook, right hand combination to the jaw. Although Norman was able to get up from the knockdown, it was from that point in the fight that Haney seized full control of the combat, showcasing hand speed, lateral movement, and showing a willingness to stand in the pocket rather than solely relying on his legs to evade Norman. By doing this, Haney consistently beat Norman to the punch, seemed to stun him periodically, and simply got the better of most of the exchanges on the way to winning a convincing twelve round unanimous decision and with the victory, successfully becoming a world champion in a third weight division. A dominant performance that should also be viewed as a redemption of sorts for Haney after what he went through against Garcia, though he cannot and should not be blamed for the circumstances that followed that fight, which led to the restoration of his undefeated record. Whether Haney has a goal of eventually meeting Garcia again remains to be seen.

The official main event of Ring IV was a World Light-Heavyweight championship bout that saw undefeated two-division world champion David Benavidez defend his WBC crown against longtime top contender Anthony Yarde, who was making his third attempt at a world title. While frankly this had all the appearance of a fight designed to be a showcase for Benavidez, there were periods throughout this fight that were competitive. This was primarily due to Yarde attempting to limit the champion's ability to throw his punches in volume. David Benavidez has always had exceptionally quick hands for a fighter that stands 6’2 and has competed as a 168lb. Super-Middleweight and now as a 175lb. Light-Heavyweight and it is one aspect of his offense that truly makes him dangerous and a fighter fitting of his nickname “The Monster” because often, opponents are not used to facing and thus are unprepared for a fighter with such attributes in addition to the constant pressure Benavidez applies.

This was really no different in terms of the champion's approach, but what was a wrinkle to that attack at least for a period of time was Yarde attempted to punch with Benavidez rather than being strictly on defense and for a time did have some success in at least limiting Benavidez from being unable to unleash rapid fire bursts of combinations. Yarde was also able to periodically counter the champion. As has often happened in his fights, however, Benavidez was able to gradually increase his pace as the bout progressed and the challenger, though very “Game” found himself in a similar predicament as many previous Benavidez opponents, gradually succumbing to the pressure as the volume of punches increased and ultimately being dropped and stopped in the seventh round. 

What was a bit of a surprise came after the fight when Benavidez revealed his intention to move up in weight to challenge current WBO Cruiserweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez, possibly during Cinco De Mayo weekend in 2026. Obviously, if that fight does indeed happen, it would be one of the biggest bouts that could be made as the two have sizable fan followings and are similar in style. It also will shine a light on the Cruiserweight division that has seemingly always struggled for consistent exposure and marquee attractions that generate significant interest.

While David Benavidez had the honor of headlining this card as the official main event,  it would be a battle for the vacant WBO World Lightweight championship that would steal the show and frankly albeit unexpectedly became a Fight of the Year candidate. This observer is referring to the battle between undefeated top contenders Abdullah Mason and Sam Noakes.

Despite this being the third fight on the card where two unbeaten fighters were pitted against each other, it was expected by many that this would serve as a coronation of sorts for Mason in making a transition from highly touted prospect, turned contender, to a world champion. This perception was rooted in the fact that Mason is promoted by the Hall of Famer Bob Arum's Top Rank Inc., who until this past July had a long-term broadcast deal with United States sports cable, now streaming network ESPN, and thus from the very start of Mason's professional career, he was one of the fighters in Top Rank's stable that was able to benefit from such exposure. 

While not necessarily being given a similar platform at least until his promoter the Hall of Famer Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions signed a global broadcast deal with digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, which finally enabled the UK-based Warren to have a steady broadcast platform here in the United States as well as globally, Noakes did bring a similar record into the fight as Mason in addition to being a former British, Commonwealth, and European Lightweight champion. It did not take long for Noakes to show that this would not be a mere showcase for Mason.

From the opening bell Noakes forced the fight on Mason, forcing the combat to be fought in close. Despite suffering a deep gash in three as a result of an accidental clash of heads, Noakes consistent aggression and forcing a fight on the inside seemed to carry the ebb and flow for a significant portion of this fight. 

Although this would be a different type of fight than had been the norm for him up to this point in his career, which had been highlighted by hand speed and dominant performances, this fight would serve as not only a test for Mason, but also one where he showed a willingness to fight fire with fire as he was more than willing to stand and trade with Noakes. Despite being forced to fight in a manner he had not been before, Mason responded to the test. Whenever Noakes would land something significant, particularly to the body, Mason would often respond almost immediately and this was also what would happen when the roles were reversed with Mason landing first and Noakes responding as quickly as he could.

This resulted in several rounds being closely fought, but where yours truly felt that Noakes seemed to be edging many of the rounds as I had him up five rounds to two through round seven. Despite the view of this observer, which was based largely on the fact that Noakes forced the fight to be fought on his terms, I did sense that it was likely a closer contest than a 5-2 score would give an impression through seven rounds. As I have often said over the many years I have covered the sport of Boxing, when it comes to close fights, it will often come down to what a judge prefers in their own criteria based on the criteria in which Boxing is scored, clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense. What often also plays a role in the aforementioned criteria is one's perception. In this case, speaking only for myself, the perception I had was this was a close fight round by round, but after seven of the scheduled twelve rounds, I felt Noakes was doing enough to edge many of those rounds, based not only on aggression, but how he often brought the fight to Mason.

As the second half of this fight progressed, however, the pace understandably slowed, but the contest also began to narrow in my view with Mason taking control and landing hard body shots, which had Noakes hurt periodically, which was a bit of a reversal as earlier in the fight when he focused his own attack to Mason’s body, Noakes seemed to get the better of the action. As it was during those exchanges where Noakes seemed to have an advantage and had Mason hurt periodically, with the roles reversed, Noakes was able to respond as Mason did and the two fighters ultimately ended up splitting the final rounds on my scorecard resulting in an even score of six rounds to six or 114-114 in points. 

After a tooth and nail battle that also seemed to exhaust the crowd in attendance in the overnight hours in Saudi Arabia, it would be Mason who would emerge victorious via a twelve round unanimous decision with one judge having him up nine rounds to three or 117-111 in points while the other two remaining judges having scores that appeared more accurate based on the action that occurred of seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points. Although I felt the fight was a draw, I can easily see a seven rounds to five margin in favor of either fighter. Simply put, it was that kind of fight and though Mason won it unanimously, it was close and competitive from start to finish. 

Close and competitive to the degree that my immediate reaction that I shared on X (Formerly Twitter) along with my analysis of not only this fight, but of the entire card as I observed it in real time was “Rematch in 2026…” Not only did it prove to be a sleeper candidate for Fight of the Year honors, but it was the fight of the late night on this card to such a degree that not only did every fight that followed it have a tough act to follow, but it seemed to take the energy of the crowd along with it. While the latter element could be attributable to the fact that this card was held in the overnight hours in Saudi Arabia, which meant an early or late afternoon start time depending on where you live here in the United States, it is a fight definitely deserving of an encore and the promoters attached to this event as well as the broadcaster of it DAZN are likely smart enough to recognize that and so too should the WBO, whose World Lightweight title was on the line and is now subsequently held by Mason. 

With one more card under the Ring Magazine banner to be held in Riyadh remaining for this year, which will be on December 27th while most of the world is observing the Christmas/end of year holidays, it is obviously too soon to think rematch by present day standards and both Mason and Noakes will likely need some time to recuperate from an exhausting battle they fought. It would seem logical, however, that a rematch would likely be a shoe-in for a future Ring Magazine card presumably either Ring VI or Ring VII depending on when those events are scheduled and how quickly the two fighters want to meet again. It would also seem logical that a rematch deserves to be a main event of such a card. The fight that would have led to a potential rematch did steal the show after all.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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