Abdullah Mason did what everyone expected him to do for 40-odd seconds, then Yohan Vasquez did something no one saw coming and started the BoxingScene Round of the Year.
on November 8 in Norfolk. Virginia Mason is dressed in bright green pants with matching boots. South paw jab Find a home for the left cross. And appeared to be easing through the gears in lap 1. Vasquez had tufts of hair. On the back of his shaved head Dutifully following the young man’s opportunity, hoping that the opportunity would present itself.
Mason, who is a strong favorite. Then he threw himself slightly deliberately while trying to create a swirling uppercut with his left arm. But the paws underneath reveal too much of the chin. And Vasquez realized his chance had come. He fired a sharp counter shot to catch Mason as he leaned back. The man everyone had declared would be the future world champion was already on the carpet.
Vasquez, as surprised as anyone else, cheered as he walked backwards into the neutral corner, but Mason – shocked but far from hurt – returned to his vertical almost immediately. The youngster smiled and stuck out his tongue but couldn’t hide his embarrassment.
When the battle begins again Mason attacked again carelessly. Too eager to prove that the fall was just a fluke. Vasquez is nearby. And landed another hard right that dipped Mason’s leg. But in the blink of an eye Mason then fires another left uppercut. And this time it hit the target: in the 90th minute of the first round, Vasquez was on his back.
Vasquez got up. But his left leg was injured from the fall. He limped backwards before saying he wanted to continue. Mason sensed the end and pumped full force into each explosion he created. Rat-a-tat attacks followed and Vasquez held on to the canvas as best he could, trying to stay tall. Finally, look closer as hooks and uppercuts bounce off the underdog’s head. Mason positions his enemy in the corner. And as he prepared to pass the ball Perfect left hand from Vasquez catches Mason in. And he went down again.
However, he did not stay on the ground for a long time. As Mason counted to eight Bounces up and down, showing a clear head. Vasquez then leaned against the corner post and checked his left leg.
The remaining minutes of the session were dull compared to what had happened before. Mason had learned a lesson from his previous fatigue. Keeping a safer distance and controlling the action, the 20-year-old would have to wait until the second round to claim a knockout victory at Norfolk Scopes Arena. But what happened? The first two minutes of this lightweight bout will live long in the memory.
Honorable Mention: Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury (Round 9, 18 May)
At the end of the seventh round, there seemed to be only one winner in the highly anticipated World Heavyweight Championship showdown between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury England’s Fury heads operations in Saudi Arabia There was even a brief period that left Ukraine’s Usyk wobbling in the fourth and sixth periods.
But Usyk followed his tradition. Go back to the eighth period. What happened with 30 seconds left in the ninth will forever be the definitive picture of their rivalry. Usyk as he went close Walk past Fury’s rather lazy medley to answer his answer. His right was quickly followed by a left that cracked Fury’s head. Precision strikes followed, and as Usyk stepped back it was clear his opponent was in serious trouble. Fury sagged to the ropes. And as his head fell back for a moment, Usyk jumped up.
Fury tried to hold on. His long legs disobeying him in the most unreasonable way, Usyk freed himself from Fury’s arms and broke him again. Wrath retreated. Stopped only by a rope This pattern continued until the British. After scooping all the rings on the most unstable leg Finally, he fell into a corner. as he playfully crawled on a rope to stop himself from falling. The referee counts standing. Then the bell rang. And those watching tried to hold their breath.
Honorable Mention: Ray Ford-Otabek Kolmatov (Round 12, March 2)
Trailing two cards into the 12th hole, Ray Ford needed a knockout to take the WBA featherweight belt from Otabek Kolmatov, and he got it too. There were only seven seconds remaining in the fight when the exhausted titleholder was assisted by the referee.
Others: Doc No Yun-Tyson Kogi (Round 1); Caleb Plant-Trevor McCumby (Round 9); Tyrone McKenna-Dylan Moran (Round 2); Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol (Round 10); Steve McKenna-Joe Laws (Round 1)
Matt Christie, a lifelong boxing fan with more than 20 years in the boxing industry, left Boxing News in 2024 after 14 years, nine of those years as managing editor. Before that he was the producer of the weekly boxing show KOTV, is currently the co-host of The Opening Bell podcast and is regularly used by Sky Sports in the UK as an expert. Matt was named Expert Reporter of the Year at the prestigious 2021 Sports Journalism Awards, which is the seventh SJA award he has accepted. While in the hot seat on Boxing News the following year he was inducted into the British Boxing Hall of Fame. He is a member of BWAA and has won several annual screenwriting awards.
