Lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason will return in February against Manuel Jaimes on a Top Rank card. It’s not a compelling match-up for the 20-year-old Mason, but it’s a predictable one after his last disappointing performance.
Mason vs. Jaimes: A step back?
Mason (16-0, 14 KOs) takes a step back with this fight against Jaimes (16-2-1, 11 KOs) after his shaky performance against the veteran Yohan Vasquez on November 8 at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. Mason was dropped twice in the first round by the 30-year-old Dominican Republic native Vasquez (26-6, 21 KOs). It was fortunate for Mason that Vasquez suffered a knee injury in the first round.
Boxing Scene reports that Mason will fight San Jose, California native Manuel Jaimes next.
For those two who follow the sport closely, they know Jaimes as the guy that former WBA welterweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero recently defeated by a 10-round unanimous decision on September 14th on Canelo’s undercard Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Rolly-Jaimes was buried on the undercard in fifth place from the main event. Rolly is using Jaimes as a confidence booster after losing his WBA 140-lb title to Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz via an eighth-round KO on March 30.
Manuel Jaimes was no match for Rolly, who outboxed him and slugged him. It looked like Romero took it because he could hammer him, but he seemed to stay in first gear throughout the ten round contest to get some rounds. The results were 99-91, 99-91 and 99-91.
Mason vs. Jaimes could be fighting on the undercard of lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis’ next card, as he is scheduled to challenge WBO champion Denys Berinchyk in February.
The Chin question
Top Rank will have to figure out how to protect Abdullah Mason to prevent him from getting knocked out before he fights for a world title. Floyd Schofield Sr. recently revealed that Mason was injured in sparring by his son, Schofield Jr, and thinks he has a chin problem.
The Vasquez fight will confirm this. If Mason’s punch resistance continues to be a problem, Top Rank will have to steer in the direction of a weak puncher like Shakur Stevenson and hope he can handle the timely strikes from the WBC champion.
