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Albert Bell Steps In To Challenge Abdullah Mason At
Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center July 4
Abdullah Mason’s Cleveland homecoming will now come with an
all-Ohio twist.
After former world champion Joe Cordina was forced to
withdraw due to a visa issue, unbeaten Toledo native and WBO
No. 6-ranked contender Albert Bell has stepped in to
challenge Mason for the WBO lightweight world title on
Saturday, July 4, at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein
Center.
Mason-Bell headlines TNT Sports and DAZN’s inaugural The
Fight event, a new monthly live boxing series, and will be
broadcast co-exclusively in the U.S. on TNT, truTV and DAZN
and worldwide on DAZN.
The Mason-Bell, Bruce Carrington-Rene Palacios, Tiger
Johnson-Christopher Guerrero and Scooter Davis-Carlos Ramos
fights will be broadcast LIVE beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m.
PT.
Mason said, “New opponent, same mission. Much respect to
Albert Bell for stepping in. Everyone, show up to the
Wolstein for my title defense. Appetite for smoke!”
Bell said, “The opportunity was presented, I said yes. If
you know my story, it’s been a long road.”
Mason (20-0, 17 KOs) completed one of boxing’s fastest
recent climbs last November, dominating previously unbeaten
Sam Noakes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to become a world
champion less than five months shy of his 22nd birthday.
Mason turned pro at 17 in 2021 following an amateur career
of approximately 80 fights and surged into title contention
in 2025 with three consecutive stoppages. He opened the year
with a fourth-round knockout of Manuel Jaimes in February,
stopped Carlos Ornelas in the sixth round in April, and
blasted out Namibian veteran Jeremia Nakathila in the fifth
round in June before the Noakes win.
Bell (28-0, 9 KOs) was scheduled to face Cuban Olympic gold
medalist Andy Cruz in an IBF lightweight world title final
eliminator on July 18 in Carson, California. Instead, the
unbeaten Ohioan now gets his first world title opportunity
two weeks earlier against Mason. The 33-year-old returns
following a 10-round unanimous decision over Keith Hunter
last August in his hometown.
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