At this point, the praise that Abdullah Mason has been receiving is hard to ignore.
Soft-spoken yet loud in the ring, the 19-year-old has drawn the ohs and ahs of practically everyone who’s seen him perform. Tim Bradley, current ESPN commentator and recently inducted Hall of Famer, compared Mason to a young Floyd Mayweather. Shakur Stevenson, the two-division champion and pound-for-pound star, has gushed over Mason – often using him as his sparring partner.
With his skills being viewed as unique and breathtaking, Mason (9-0, 8 KOs) is doing his best to stay level-headed. While he appreciates the love and support he’s been receiving, the current lightweight prospect knows that he still has plenty of work to do to reach the next level.
“It just lets me know we on the right track,” said Mason on MillCity Boxing when asked to give his thoughts on the praise he’s been given. “Keep working, keep growing, don’t let it get to my head.”
This Saturday night, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mason will show what he’s been working on.
Against Cesar Villarraga, Mason is expected to shine. Still, even if he takes care of business, Mason isn’t interested in hearing his name mentioned amongst the all-time greats. He also believes that any talk of a title shot is a bit on the premature side.
Presently, Mason is just in the infancy stages of his career. By and large, the 19-year-old is looking at the big picture. For now, Mason will simply throw on his headphones and drown out the noise. In due time, as long as he continues to improve his game and slowly climb up the ladder, Mason is convinced that the love and adulation from his boxing peers and fans will come naturally.
“We in it for the long haul so this stuff is inevitable.”