​If you’re looking for boxing to spice up your July 4th weekend, we’ve got you covered. As usual, the action spans the globe in a vibrant mix of fight cards, from Cleveland to Tokyo and the Parisian suburbs, with two rising American world champions leading the lineup. Here’s a look at the weekend’s top action.
1. Mason and a late call-up for Bell
Young star Abdullah Mason is just 22 but already boasts a 20-0 record with 17 knockouts, carving out significant experience at the top of the lightweight division. The WBO champion was set to defend his title against Wales’ Joe Cordina this weekend, but Cordina, aged 34, was denied a U.S. visa after being charged with assault and threatening someone with an offensive weapon in February. Cordina’s misfortune becomes Albert Bell’s opportunity. Bell, 28-0 with 9 knockouts, fights out of Toledo, Ohio, arriving in Cleveland unbeaten through a 13-year pro career. He’s also previously sparred with fellow Ohioan Mason. At 33, Bell might have moved toward the top if the moment had presented itself earlier. He enters as a +375 underdog against Mason on Saturday night, and the matchup could prove a worthy test for the defending champion. Bell has ridden along without making a major leap in his career, and while Mason remains more of a prospect than a finished product, the short-notice booking seems well-suited to the title switch potential.
2. “Shu Shu” defends his featherweight title
Mexico’s Rene Palacios, 19-0-1 with 10 knockouts, is generating favorable chatter as an underdog this weekend. The 25-year-old challenger, nicknamed “Shu Shu,” invades the ring to face WBC featherweight world champion Bruce Carrington (17-0, 10 KOs) on the Mason-Bell undercard, insisting that Carrington is underestimating him. “I believe he [still] lacks [some areas], and I’m going to show it on July 4. I’m very determined, like a starving dog,” Palacios said in the lead-up, echoing the determination expected from a hopeful upsetter. Carrington is making his first defense of the green and gold belt since winning the vacant strap against Carlos Castro six months ago, and at 29, he has made clear his sights on Japan’s Naoya Inoue. But first up is Palacios, and the pair’s tense faceoff suggests fireworks could erupt on game night.
3. Mossely in a 50-50 at super lightweight
The former Olympic and World Championship gold medalist from 2016, Estelle Mossely, returns to professional action this weekend after a brief stint back in the amateur scene, adding another high-stakes bout to the schedule at super lightweight.