Hall of Famer Timothy Bradley holds young star Abdullah Mason in high esteem.
Mason, 22, is a fast-rising lightweight and a big-punching southpaw. Each of his last eight fights have ended inside the distance.
Really, the only thing Mason’s style has in common with Bradley’s is their shared appetite for a brawl (see: the 2013 classic with Provodnikov). Bradley had far less natural power, which forced him to fight in a more conservative style. But, as they say, game recognizes game.
“His undeniable talent shines brightly through upon watch,” Bradley said in a text to BoxingScene. “He's blessed with sublime hand speed, ultra-quick, cat-like reactions, and lightning-fast reflexes. His single-punch knockout power, delivered with either hand, is truly daunting, driven by a killer-like mentality.”
That mentality was clearest in Mason’s fight with Yohan Vasquez. Mason leapt into the fray in the first round, dropping Vasquez, but hit the canvas twice for his trouble. He is willing to take one to give one, even if the punch he takes is his opponent’s best.
Mason possesses a “marksman’s vision,” as Bradley described it, and is “able to punch precisely between incoming punches.”
Given his particular blend of boxing virtues, Mason will likely be in his share of wars to come. This earned him Bradley’s biggest compliment yet: “an electrifying talent in all of sports.”