Abdullah Mason stops Jeremia Nakathila in 5th round to set up WBO lightweight title shot
Abdullah Mason is heading toward a shot at the world title.
Mason (18-0, 16 KOs) stopped Jeremia Nakathila at the beginning of Round 5 in their ESPN-televised main event bout Saturday night from the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.
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It was a mature performance from Mason, 21, who didn't rush his work and boxed behind a sharp southpaw jab. Mason rocked Nakathila with a left hand in the final minute of Round 3, but Nakathila (26-4, 21 KOs) was saved by the bell. Mason continued his success into Round 4, consistently finding the target with his powerful backhand and wobbling Nakathila on every connection.
Nakathila, 35, complained to his corner team and the referee that he couldn't see out of his left eye between the fourth and fifth rounds. The referee called the ringside doctor to examine Nakathila's eye at the beginning of Round 5, and upon hearing that Nakathila couldn't see out of the eye, he advised the referee to stop the bout.
Mason vs. Nakathila was upgraded to the main-event slot late Friday after Keyshawn Davis' fight with Edwin De Los Santos was canceled just 24 hours before it was scheduled to take place because Davis missed weight by more than four pounds at the weigh-in and the two sides could not reach an agreement to allow the bout to continue. Davis was subsequently stripped of his WBO lightweight title.
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Mason, Uncrowned's runner-up for 2024 Prospect of the Year, is the No. 2-ranked contender for the belt formerly held by Davis, and he will likely be ordered to face Sam Noakes, the WBO No. 1-ranked lightweight, for the vacant championship later this year.
Noakes was planning a fight with Ireland's Jono Carroll in August, sources close to the situation told Uncrowned. But with a world title shot looming, the bout may now not go ahead.
"That should be workable, and that's something we definitely want," Mason said about a potential Noakes fight for the WBO title. "We want to work toward those world titles."
Check out full Mason vs. Nakathila results and highlights below, as well as Uncrowned's play-by-play of the main card.
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Main card
Lightweight: Abdullah Mason def. Jeremia Nakathila via fifth-round TKO (doctor stoppage) | Watch video
Super lightweight: Nahir Albright def. Kelvin Davis via majority decision (95-95, 97-93, 96-94)
Prelims
Welterweight: Tiger Johnson def. Janelson Bocachica via unanimous decision (100-90, 97-93, 98-92)
Middleweight: Troy Isley def. Etoundi Michel William via unanimous decision (98-92, 96-94, 96-94)
Welterweight: Keon Davis def. Michael Velez-Garcia via second-round KO | Watch video
Middleweight: Euri Cedeño def. Abel Mina via fifth-round TKO (corner retirement)
Lightweight: Deric Davis def. Naheem Parker via second-round TKO | Watch video
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Cruiserweight: Patrick O'Connor def. Marcus Smith via second-round TKO | Watch video
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