Abdullah Mason (18-0, 16 KOs) is headlining for the first time in his career tonight against Jeremia Nakathila (26-4, 21 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight battle live on ESPN at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. Mason, 21, has been given a golden opportunity by Top Rank to showcase after Keyshawn Davis’s fight against Edwin De Los Santos was canceled.
Live Results: Abdullah Mason vs. Nakathila
Top Rank is putting Mason in a position to show that he can be their next star. We witnessed the royal treatment Abdullah received during the final press conference last Thursday. He was being treated like he was the true star of the event, which seemed to anger Keyshawn Davis, who went after the youngster, calling him out.
You could tell by the flash of jealousy from Davis that he felt threatened by the way Mason was being treated like a King by moderator Christina Poncher.
Tonight’s Mason vs. Nakathila main card begins at 10 pm ET / 7 pm PT on ESPN and ESPN+. The prelims begin at 6 pm ET / 3 pm PT on ESPN+.
Mason vs. Nakathila: Full Card
Abdullah Mason vs. Jeremia Nakathila
Kelvin Davis vs. Nahir Albright
Of the two main card fights on ESPN tonight, fans will be focusing on lightweight contender Mason (18-0, 16 KOs), who could soon be fighting for the vacant WBO lightweight title. He needs to demonstrate that he can defeat the dangerous veteran Nakathila and look good doing so, for him to be viewed as the right person to battle for the gold later this year against the #1-ranked Sam Noakes.
Preliminary Card at 6 pm ET
Tiger Johnson vs. Janelson Bocachica
Troy Isley vs. Etoundi Michel William
Keon Davis vs. Michael Velez
Euri Cedeño vs. Abel Mina
Deric Davis vs. Naheem Parker
Patrick O’Connor vs. Marcus Smith
Of the prelim fights, welterweight Keon Davis (3-0, 2 KOs) is the one to keep an eye on, as he’s a big puncher and has skills similar to his brother, Keyshawn. The 6’3″ Keon is fighting Michael A. Velez-Garcia (3-0, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder.
Top Rank isn’t matching Keon tough yet, but it’s still a potentially difficult enough fight for Keon to have to show the ability to take shots. He didn’t have the amateur background that Keyshawn did. So, he’s learning on the job in the pro ranks and slowly developing.
What Keon has in his favor is youth. He’s only 23 and can afford to progress over the next three to five years before he’s ready to take on the upper-tier fighters at 147 or 154. At 6’3″, Keon might have the right frame to fight at junior middleweight