Abdullah Mason vs. Albert Bell press conference quotes and fight prediction
Abdullah Mason (20-0, 17 KOs) will soon put his WBO lightweight world title on the line against Albert Bell (28-0, 9 KOs, 1 NC).
Their bout headlines a Top Rank card – in association with Pulse Boxing and TGB Promotions – at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH. Fight fans in the United States can catch the action live on TNT Sports, DAZN, and truTV. The rest of the world will be able to do so with DAZN.
Mason was originally slated to face Joe Cordina. However, the Welshman revealed in June in a social media post that he had been denied a visa to enter the United States. Cordina is also due in court on July 7 after he was charged “with assault and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place.”
Mason and Bell both spoke at a press conference ahead of their July 4 contest. Below is some of what they had to say.
Abdullah Mason vs. Albert Bell press conference quotes
Abdullah Mason
“It was definitely unexpected,” said Mason of the opponent switch. “Albert Bell—that’s our guy from Toledo [Mason is from Cleveland]. But it’s boxing. You’ve got to be prepared for anything, and I’m prepared to come out on top. Everything happens for a reason.”
“One thing I do want to say is, I’m the youngest world champion in boxing for a reason, and I’m prepared to show that when I step into the ring.”
Albert Bell
“I mean, it caught me by surprise,” said Bell about having to face Mason on short notice. “It was an ideal opponent for me. I wasn’t really thinking about fighting Abdullah, especially not this soon. But everything made sense. I talked to my pops about it, and it made sense, so I stepped in to save the card, get my world title opportunity and put on a show for all of Ohio.”
“I mean, I get turned down by a lot of guys. I’m not saying that in a cocky way or trying to act like I’m the boogeyman or anything like that, but a lot of guys say no when my name comes across their table. I would’ve had the name I was supposed to have by now if it weren’t for that, but what’s delayed is not denied. We’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”
Fight prediction
From Big Fight Weekend’s Ricky Carroll: Mason was due to face Cordina before his visa problems saw him unable to enter the U.S. Despite the late change of opponent, Mason will be confident that his lightning-quick hand speed, accuracy, and fight-ending power will be enough for him to retain his title. He is an accomplished body puncher and will look to use his excellent footwork to close the distance to get off the body work.
Bell will look to control the distance with his jab and stop Mason from closing the gap. This tactic will be key in Bell frustrating the champion and getting on his own work. Bell is difficult to pin down, and he will need to be at his elusive best to beat Mason. Taking all this into account, we are backing the speed and power of Mason to get the stoppage at some point in the later rounds.
Full press conference
For the press conference in its entirety, click here or the play button below. Video courtesy of Top Rank.
Featured Image Credit
Top Rank
S Saadeq Ahmed
Currently writing out of Toronto, Canada, Saadeq first became a boxing fan while living in Doha, Qatar. Looking to become more involved in the sport, he began writing about boxing and has had work published in outlets such as Seconds Out and Boxing Social. He looks forward to continue covering boxing on Big Fight Weekend.