Comments Thread For: WBO to order Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Noakes to fight for vacant lightweight belt

[Oracle01]

American fighter beating up on a domestic UK fighter to build a resume again. Same path as crawford and Spence. He will prob end up on the p4p list after this. Easy win.

[PBR Streetgang]

Mason the more athletic and explosive but it's hard to forget that fight against Yohan Vasquez when he got dropped twice and was on spaghetti legs for the remainder.

[Bronx2245]

I'm happy Mason is getting his shot, but as a New Yorker, I'm a little salty that he's getting his shot before Shu-Shu! Top Rank, y'all wrong for that! Salute to Abdullah!

[kiaba360]

Combined records of 36-0 with 32 KO's. That's impressive! And then you have guys like Dalton Smith and Ernesto Mercado who fight crap opponents while many of the fighters in and around their divisions are willing to put it all on the line and take risks for the glory, those two wont. Frank Martin from his 15th fight on, took on 4 unbeaten fighters.

Mason/Noakes will take this risk because of the reward: a vacant title. We both know this match-up probably wouldn't happen otherwise. Smith is currently waiting for a title shot vs. Puello/Matias, so of course no risks will be taken. Additionally, Mercado is not currently ranked with any sanctioning body, so let him take it slow if he wants to. When he does get ranked, he will probably be avoided because he's a puncher and a big 140lber. We've seen this movie before.

As for the OP, I think Noakes went too many rounds with Mendy for me to have complete faith in him. Mason is a southpaw with the physical advantages, but his chin is suspect. Noakes punches hard enough to make something happen, but I have a hard time imagining what this fight will look like. I can't remember Noakes' chin being tested.

[richardt]

Mason/Noakes will take this risk because of the reward: a vacant title. We both know this match-up probably wouldn't happen otherwise. Smith is currently waiting for a title shot vs. Puello/Matias, so of course no risks will be taken. Additionally, Mercado is not currently ranked with any sanctioning body, so let him take it slow if he wants to. When he does get ranked, he will probably be avoided because he's a puncher and a big 140lber. We've seen this movie before.

As for the OP, I think Noakes went too many rounds with Mendy for me to have complete faith in him. Mason is a southpaw with the physical advantages, but his chin is suspect. Noakes punches hard enough to make something happen, but I have a hard time imagining what this fight will look like. I can't remember Noakes' chin being tested.

Mercado keeps calling out champions but he is unwilling to earn a shot fighting contenders. But if you look at Frank Martin, he had no reward of a title till later. He fought 4 undefeated guys in his last 6 fights. And Cool Steph's resume is filled with fighters who were not pushovers, yet he still fought risky opponents without the reward of a title. Noaks and Mason could have declined the fight but are taking the fight. Many fighters don't take a risk or pull out with a lame excuse. The point is, some fighters like Cool Steph and Frank Martin and Lucas Bahdi wanted the smoke and there are guys that don't. You can tell how bad a fighter wants the smoke by who they fight. Lets see Mercado get the balls that a lesser known Lucas Bahdi did when he took on an undefeated prospect in a KO of the year type fight against Ashton Sylve in his first appearance. Meanwhile Mercado has been seen a number of times, none of them against a risky opponent. Thats why he is not ranked and Lucas Bahdi is. It took Lucas Bahdi 6 rounds to emerge on the scene and Mercado and others are not willing to take risks. Like I said, some want all the smoke. Some are being protected. I heard of Mercado long before Raul Curiel but it was Curiel who took a risk and had a solid showing in his last fight against a contender. Dalton's Smith's #1 ranking is fraudulent. Especially with the proven guys he is rated ahead of. He should be forced to fight an eliminator against an equal.

[kiaba360]

Mercado keeps calling out champions but he is unwilling to earn a shot fighting contenders. But if you look at Frank Martin, he had no reward of a title till later. He fought 4 undefeated guys in his last 6 fights. And Cool Steph's resume is filled with fighters who were not pushovers, yet he still fought risky opponents without the reward of a title. Noaks and Mason could have declined the fight but are taking the fight. Many fighters don't take a risk or pull out with a lame excuse. The point is, some fighters like Cool Steph and Frank Martin and Lucas Bahdi wanted the smoke and there are guys that don't. You can tell how bad a fighter wants the smoke by who they fight. Lets see Mercado get the balls that a lesser known Lucas Bahdi did when he took on an undefeated prospect in a KO of the year type fight against Ashton Sylve in his first appearance. Meanwhile Mercado has been seen a number of times, none of them against a risky opponent. Thats why he is not ranked and Lucas Bahdi is. It took Lucas Bahdi 6 rounds to emerge on the scene and Mercado and others are not willing to take risks. Like I said, some want all the smoke. Some are being protected. I heard of Mercado long before Raul Curiel but it was Curiel who took a risk and had a solid showing in his last fight against a contender. Dalton's Smith's #1 ranking is fraudulent. Especially with the proven guys he is rated ahead of. He should be forced to fight an eliminator against an equal.

I've been wanting Mercado to step up his competition too, but what I didn't realize is his lack of an ABC ranking. If he doesn't have a ranking, then there's less pressure. He hasn't reached world-level yet and he's younger than Curiel (29), Fulton (30), Martin (30) and Bahdi (31). We'll eventually find out how good Mercado is because the ring reveals all. He ran over Pedraza and Nakathila like a prospect should. I would like to see Mercado vs. Brandun Lee: two young guys with something to prove. When you ask for all the smoke, you better be ready. Martin is still on the sidelines after Davis blasted him into another dimension.

Smith is #1 WBC. Martin is #2 and he recently got a title shot vs. Puello. Cruz is #3 and fighting Fierro (#11) again, but I doubt Cruz/Smith ever happens. Barboza is #4 and just had a WBO title shot. Catterall is #5 and facing Eubank next. Delgado is #6 and currently free. I would watch Smith vs. Delgado. But as I said originally, it would be arrogant and foolish to risk one's mandatory status. Whyte risked his vs. Povetkin and got KO'ed. Joyce risked his vs. Zhang and got his career derailed.

[richardt]

I've been wanting Mercado to step up his competition too, but what I didn't realize is his lack of an ABC ranking. If he doesn't have a ranking, then there's less pressure. He hasn't reached world-level yet and he's younger than Curiel (29), Fulton (30), Martin (30) and Bahdi (31). We'll eventually find out how good Mercado is because the ring reveals all. He ran over Pedraza and Nakathila like a prospect should. I would like to see Mercado vs. Brandun Lee: two young guys with something to prove. When you ask for all the smoke, you better be ready. Martin is still on the sidelines after Davis blasted him into another dimension.

Smith is #1 WBC. Martin is #2 and he recently got a title shot vs. Puello. Cruz is #3 and fighting Fierro (#11) again, but I doubt Cruz/Smith ever happens. Barboza is #4 and just had a WBO title shot. Catterall is #5 and facing Eubank next. Delgado is #6 and currently free. I would watch Smith vs. Delgado. But as I said originally, it would be arrogant and foolish to risk one's mandatory status. Whyte risked his vs. Povetkin and got KO'ed. Joyce risked his vs. Zhang and got his career derailed.

Martin ran his course but fought guys that provided an obstacle that he overcame against solid unbeaten fighters. Mercado vs Lee would produce either one potential start or two possibly. This is what we need in boxing, like Badhi vs Sylve, Mason vs Noakes, Berlanga vs Sheeraz, Troy Isley vs Yoenli Hernandez would be a great matchup. We need more of that - instead of prospects and contender's vs hapless setups with at least 6 losses. Anyone who has lost their last 3 fights, two by KO should NEVER be put in with unbeaten prospects and contenders. This should be outlawed and I cannot understand why it is allowed. Only thing worse is when a guy off the street comes into a gym and challenges a prospect. A gym should never allow that. I saw one of the Vargas brothers beat the crap out of a guy from off that street. That is the worst thing of all. But in the pros, when a guy goes into a ring with 26 losses against a guy who is 20-0 with 18 KO's, it is a given the fight will end in less than a round, almost invariably. That is criminal. And now Callum Walsh is fighting a guy who has one win in his last 4 fights and in one of those fights was highlight reel KO'd! Utter crap.