Abdullah Mason Has An ‘Appetite For Smoke’ on Friday Night In NYC

In the very first round, Vasquez threw a sharp overhand left, which landed flush on Mason’s chin, sending him down instantly for the first knockdown of the fight. Mason was on shaky legs, but after a series of punches thrown by Vasquez, he landed the beautifully timed left uppercut that sent Vasquez down. He would beat the ten count, and after Mason charged at him with a flurry of punches, Vasquez landed another overhand left that would send Mason down for the second time in the round. Mason would survive the opening round and stop Vasquez in the second with a left uppercut to the solar plexius.

Recalling the events of that night, Mason felt like it was all part of his progression: “For me, it was kind of shocking a little bit. It happened so quickly, but I prepared well for it. I didn’t panic. Everything happened according to plan. That one small hiccup was there, but I felt like I was exceptional in that moment and carried on from there.”

Mason continued: 

“I feel like it was a great stepping stone with or without that [the knockdowns] against a great opponent who had 21 knockouts in 26 wins, so that lets you know how well I can come up off of something like that. Now that I’ve been through it, yeah, it was needed as much as I hated it.”

An Old Soul

Although Mason is only twenty, he speaks and conducts himself like a mature adult. You never see him rattled, even at the most challenging moments—like the one he experienced with Vasquez—and maybe it’s partly to do with the family support system that keeps him grounded. Outside of the ring, he likes to spend quality time with his family—going on vacation, watching a movie at the theater, etc. These are things that others don’t prioritize in this social media era we are living in.

Mason has the focus and drive of a veteran and feels like he knows what it takes to get to the top of the mountain and stay there: “We know that in boxing, once you are at this point, it’s going to take 5-10 years of continued work,“ Mason told FightsATW. “Whatever I do, it’s not really escaping from it [boxing]. Even if I spend time with the family, boxing is still in the back of my head. It never leaves your conscience. I feel like this is how it’s going to be until I’m finished with it.”

Abdullah Mason Looks To Be “The Butcher” on Valentine’s Day

Friday night on ESPN+, Mason faces Manuel Jaimes (16-2-1, 11 KOs), who has shared the ring and went the distance with hard-hitting former WBA junior welterweight champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero. While this is certainly a big step up in competition, Mason welcomes the challenge. When asked what he thinks of his opponent, Mason had this to say: “Manuel Jaimes gives you a little bit of everything. He likes to fight, get on the inside and likes to box a little bit. My job is to make him look like the rest of them. Whatever he’s bringing, I have to adjust to that. That’ll put me for sure at a higher ranking.”

This will be the second time Mason fights at Madison Square Garden Theater, the first time being in 2022 in his fifth fight. Mason feels he is “stronger and more experienced” since his first fight in NYC as a pro, and if he’s right, that could spell problems for his opponent Jamies.

“Hopefully, I can grab a small title and be as active as I was last year, Mason said. “Also, I want to be higher up in the rankings so I can creep up on a world championship and have a main event in Cleveland.” 

Mason is, without a doubt, a blue-chip prospect, and Friday’s fight could be the moment he goes from exciting to watch to must-see.