Terence Crawford is one of the most well-regarded fighters on the planet right now.
The American is a current 154lbs world champion having beaten Israil Madrimov in August in his first fight at the weight.
Before that, he put on his most clinical display to beat Errol Spence Jr and become the undisputed welterweight king having achieved the same feat down at lightweight as well as winning a world title in between at super-lightweight.
Crawford currently only has eyes on a legacy-defining challenge against unified super-middleweight champ Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. It’s believed he could retire if he doesn’t land that fight.
Former world champion turned promoter Barry McGuigan thinks he has eyed a young star who could go on to be as good as ‘Bud’ when the 36-year-old does hang up the gloves.
Speaking in The Mirror he says that man is Abdullah Mason, a 20-year-old from Bedford near Cleveland who has won all 14 fights so far, 12 by KO, and most recently beat Mike Orhan Jr by second round blowout. Speaking before that fight, McGuigan praised the up-and-comer’s activity.
“This will be his fourth fight of the year. His last bout was only a month ago. I love that about him. I fought 12 times in my first year. It’s not about money at this stage. It’s about being busy. And getting experience under your belt.”
McGuigan then had plenty to say on the southpaw’s skills.
“Remember the name, Abdullah Mason. We could be looking at the next Terence Crawford.”
“He has the same class and guile as Crawford but is intuitively more attacking. He likes to get the job done, standing in the pocket and moving neatly in and out of distance. He throws neat combinations and rips that backhand into the stomach.”
He also has great accuracy, and a dangerous right hook. I like the way he turns the hands when he lands it, really making it stick. Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia and Shakur Stevenson are the ultimate targets, but with kids like him, you need to bring them on at the right pace, but that level is where he is heading.”
McGuigan believes that, like Crawford, Mason has the frame to do damage as he moves up in weight over the years.
He is expected to return as soon as November to continue his rise. He says he is targetting world titles in 2025, currently held by Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Denys Berinchyk in the lightweight ranks.
