by Keith Idec
ABDULLAH MASON made believers Friday evening out of those that puzzled what would occur when the extremely touted light-weight prospect took flush punches from a robust opponent.
The 20-year-old southpaw from Cleveland survived two flash knockdowns within the first spherical, dropped rugged Dominican Yohan Vasquez twice and stopped him within the second spherical of their scheduled 10-round light-weight bout on the Keyshawn Davis-Gustavo Lemos undercard at Scope Enviornment in Norfolk, Virginia. Referee Brent Bovell stopped the motion at 1:59 of the second spherical after Mason’s left to Vasquez’s physique despatched him to 1 knee with 1:10 to go within the second spherical.
Mason improved to 16-0 and produced his 14th knockout as soon as Vasquez did not make it to his toes in time after absorbing that well-placed physique shot. Vasquez (26-6, 21 KOs), who resides within the Bronx, misplaced inside the gap for the second time in 12 years as a professional and for the second time in his previous three fights.
“My dad advised me he was gonna come out like that, however man, that was one thing else,” Mason advised ESPN’s Mark Kriegel after profitable their firefight. “You understand, it was an expertise, but it surely was thrilling and I like that, you already know? We pushed by way of it and did what we needed to do. We gave the followers an excellent present, you already know? However ‘Prospect of the 12 months.’ That’s me.”
Vasquez shocked Mason and his handlers when his sweeping left hook knocked Mason right into a squatting place and triggered his left glove to carry him up 48 seconds into the opening spherical. Mason responded by touchdown a left uppercut that knocked Vasquez flat on his again with 1:39 on the clock within the first spherical.
Whereas making an attempt to complete Vasquez, nevertheless, one other quick, left hook by his susceptible opponent once more knocked Mason backward. His left glove once more saved Mason from falling all the best way to the canvas and triggered the second knockdown of his 16-fight skilled profession, this time with 1:02 on the clock within the first spherical.
Mason remained composed, made it to the tip of the primary spherical and aggressively took out Vasquez within the second spherical.
“[I showed] I might push by way of it,” Mason mentioned, “I might push by way of something. Put me in there with anyone, and I’ll discover a solution to push by way of it and get on prime. He had a lotta power that got here out, and I overcame it and we acquired the win.”
