Sam Noakes vs Abdullah Mason officially ordered for the vacant WBO world lightweight title
WBO order Sam Noakes and Abdullah Mason to contest their vacant lightweight belt
The WBO have officially ordered Sam Noakes vs Abdullah Mason to contest their vacant lightweight championship.
The governing body announced today on June 12: "WBO Championships Committee has ordered negotiations between #1 Sam Noakes and #2 Abdullah Mason for the vacant WBO lightweight title. Official negotiation order will be notified and published shortly. Parties have 20 days to reach agreement."
Maidstone's Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) is WBO #1 after winning European, British and Commonwealth lightweight titles.
Ohio's Abdullah Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) is WBO #2 after bagging NABO and NABF lightweight titles.
The 21-year-old prodigy just defended his belts with a dominant fifth-round stoppage against Namibian puncher Jeremia Nakathila on June 7 in Norfolk, Virginia, making his headlining debut after Keyshawn Davis failed to make weight, and was subsequently stripped of the WBO lightweight belt.
27-year-old Noakes also fought recently, stopping the "Czech Republic Rocky" Patrik Balaz in three-rounds in a keep-busy fight in Nottingham on May 10.
2024 was the Kent puncher's best year yet. Already a Commonwealth champ, "Midge" claimed the vacant British lightweight belt with a fourth-round stoppage of Lewis Sylvester to kick the year of in February; then became European champ with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory against the teak-tough Yvan Mendy just two months later in April.
He defended that blue belt to Gianluca Ceglia in September via eighth-round TKO, culminating in a defence of his British and Commonwealth straps to British boxing legend, Ryan Walsh, to cap the stellar year off in December with a dominant UD.
Aged 21, "The King of Cleveland" Abdullah Mason famously signed with Top Rank at just 17-years-old.
Promoter Bob Arum praised him as: “one of the most electrifying young fighters I’ve ever seen”.
The southpaw debuted in November 2021 and has scored 17 knockouts from 19 bouts in under four years. The practising Muslim has an 89% KO ratio, but has never boxed past six rounds before, whereas the Brit has completed two 12-round championship contests, and sports an 88% KO ratio.
Both young, undefeated fighters are heavy-handed and are highly-ranked at #3 (Noakes) and #4 (Mason) with the WBC.
The American has welcomed the fight with the Englishman, who has also accepted the opportunity.
Sam said earlier this morning before the announcement was made by Gustavo Olivieri in the afternoon, “Hopefully it comes off, but, as of yet, I don't really know what's happening.“
When he found out it was official, he told his local newspaper, the Kent Messenger, “I've always believed in myself and always knew I'd get there, but when you hear it, you're like 'whoa!'
“It's just been an unreal journey. I've done everything that's been asked of me, trained hard and it's all paying off. I've got great people around me and it's just brilliant isn't it!" It's what I've wanted the whole time.“
When questioned about his next opponent, Noakes humbly praised his forthcoming foe, “Mason's an unbelievable fighter, isn't he. I think we're both at the same stage where we're coming up and want to blast onto the world scene, so what a time to do it.“
American Abdullah has a chance to become the youngest male world champion in boxing if he is able to win the vacant WBO title.
Promoter Frank Warren praised his lightweight star, “Sam deserves it. Sam's worked very hard. He's an exciting fighter.
“Abdullah's a massive rising star or prospect in America, but so is Sam over here, and that is a good fight, and Sam is capable of winning that.
“He has star potential. He’s a nice guy. He’s got a good following but, more importantly, he can fight.
“He’s a got a tremendous engine. When he’s in that ring, he’s all over you.
“He’s one of those, he doesn’t leave you alone, you don’t get any breathing space. He’s relentless.”
World Rankings
Noakes: WBC #3 / IBF #6 / WBO #1 / IBO #5
Mason: WBC #4 / IBF #15 / WBO #2 / IBO #14
Lightweight World Titles
WBC: Shakur Stevenson
WBA: Gervonta Davis
IBF: Raymond Muratalla
WBO: Vacant
IBO: Vacant
WBO World Rankings
1 Sam Noakes
2 Abdullah Mason
3 Gabriel Flores Jr
4 Christopher Mouafo
5 Jadier Herrera
6 Denys Berinchyk
7 Alan Abel Chaves
8 Jose Matias Romero
9 Andy Cruz
10 Albert Bell
11 Jeremiah Nakathila
12 Justin Pauldo
13 Shu Utsuki
14 Edwin De Los Santos
15 Yongqiang Yang
