Abdullah Mason took a huge risk with a tricky last-minute, late opponent in Albert Bell, and there were some tense moments early. However, Mason showed grit and powered his way to a controversial 12th-round TKO win in his hometown of Cleveland. Let’s talk boxing.
How Did Abdullah Mason Stop Albert Bell?
Early in the fight, Bell was outboxing Mason with his length and experience. The broadcast announcers believed Bell to have won the first six rounds, unofficially. Midway through the bout, Mason landed a hard straight shot that seemed to have broken Bell’s nose.
From there, Mason attacked the body and it put Bell into retreat mode for the next several rounds. In the 12th, Mason was told he might be down on the cards. He responded with an explosion to start the frame that sent Bell to the canvas.
Bell got back to his feet, but he was buzzed — even by his own admission.
Later in the round, Mason dropped Bell again, though it looked more like a momentum reaction rather than a punch. In any case, the referee Mark Nelson inexplicably stopped the fight.
Why was the fight stopped? Almost no one understood.
Thankfully, the stoppage didn’t cost Bell the fight. The three judges had Mason up heading into the final round. With Mason dropping Bell twice in the twelfth, the result was already a foregone conclusion. Still, it was a dreadful stoppage.
What’s Next For Abdullah Mason and Albert Bell?
Mason is a legit superstar. At 22, he’s still getting better, but this was a great performance all things considered. He got a difficult opponent from a stylistic perspective, started slow, but found a way to make it definitive. He’s got a chance to become a pay-per-view star in the next few years, and he is suddenly Top Rank’s top star.
Bell might have squandered his last chance to become a world champion. The 33-year-old is a tough matchup for almost anyone, but he’s not overly exciting or much of a draw. That’s a formula for being avoided.
If he gets another title opportunity, it might come in the way of another late replacement.