Abdullah Mason and
Sam Noakes will square off for the vacant WBO lightweight title during a Riyadh Season event in November, it was announced Thursday.
The exact date and venue will be revealed at a later date, but the fight will be featured on the card that already includes WBC welterweight champion
Brian Norman Jr. taking on Devin Haney and WBC light heavyweight champion
David Benavidez defending his crown against Anthony Yarde. The WBO ordered a fight between the No. 1-ranked Noakes and No. 2 Mason last month after its former champion, Keyshawn Davis, was stripped for failing to make weight in his canceled contest against Edwin De Los Santos.
Mason (19-0, 17 KOs), a 21-year-old phenom from Cleveland, Ohio, stepped in to save the Top Rank on ESPN show as the new main event by
stopping former title challenger Jeremia Nakathila in five rounds. Noakes (23-1, 17 KOs), a 27-year-old Brit, last fought in May and scored a third-round knockout against Patrik Balaz.
Noakes is ranked No. 9 by
The Ring at 135 pounds, and Mason is rated No. 10.
Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan