"Mason is a prodigious 21-year-old with fast feet, faster hands, and a lust for knockouts. His only vulnerability is that this latter trait can lead him to abandon his very capable defense in his quest for blood. Plenty of his opponents can find his chin with a good shot-Yohan Vasquez even decked him twice in the first round of their 2024 bout-before Mason separates them from their consciousness."
"Anyway, Mason hurt Noakes in what felt like every single round. In the third, their heads collided hard, opening a gash next to Noakes's left eye. What was a happy, unmarked face 15 minutes earlier turned red, along with both fighters' trunks and plenty of the ring apron. Mason put himself in the line of fire enough that Noakes hurt him too, though not as badly, and that gave him hope."
Sam Noakes walked to the ring in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with a wholesome smile and opera music blaring. He fought Abdullah Mason in the "Ring IV" main card intended to boost Saudi tourism and whitewash the country's image. Mason, a prodigious 21-year-old with fast feet, faster hands, and a lust for knockouts, can abandon defense in pursuit of knockouts and has been decked before. Mason repeatedly hurt Noakes; a head clash opened a gash by Noakes's left eye and an eighth-round body shot nearly finished him. Noakes lasted the final bell and lost by unanimous decision, earning admiration for his bravery. Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez smiled because he dominated Fernando "Puma" Martinez, reaffirming his superiority.
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