On the weekend, Abdullah Mason celebrated his 21st birthday in style as he knocked out Carlos Ornelas to boost his undefeated record. With this victory, Mason is now 18-0 in the lightweight division. Clearly, the rising star is inching closer to a shot at the division’s top honors with just a handful more wins.

However, the Ohio-born fighter already seems to be on the radar of his peers, as fellow unbeaten prospect Ernesto Mercado wasted no time issuing a fierce challenge. He did that in the most ruthless manner, off Mason’s recent victory as if it meant nothing.

Abdullah Mason’s next fight?

Tito Mercado isn’t someone to sugarcoat his words. The 23-year-old is a star, and he knows it. He recently issued notice to the lightweight division, namedropping the likes of Keyshawn Davis and Shakur Stevenson. It looks like the Upland native has realized that he was asking too much too soon and has now set his sights on the youngest Mason.

He took to his Instagram story to upload a picture of Abdullah Mason in the ring with his new WBO NABO and NABF lightweight titles. Mercado wrote, “@ABDULLAHMASON IS A**🍑,” raising questions about the 21-year-old boxing ability. He laid down the challenge and wrote, ” I’ll put em to sleep nd cut that hype out real quick💯,” signaling his intent to derail the young fighter’s career in a single blow.

It looks like Tito is planning on coming down to the already stacked lightweight division, hinted by his recent callouts. The 135-pound class is arguably the pinnacle of boxing right now, brimming with talent. And Tito is not the only one who has called out Abdullah Mason recently as a new rivalry is brewing.

The future of 135

Last November, Mason defeated Yohan Vasquez via a TKO, though he was knocked down twice himself. Seizing the moment, Emiliano Vargas, another promising contender, posted “Vargas vs. Mason PPV” on X, throwing down the gauntlet. In the lead-up to his bout against Ornelas, the 21-year-old opened up about the challenge in an interview with Ring Magazine.

Despite the brewing tension, Mason spoke highly of Vargas and his family, noting shared roots that connect them. Addressing Vargas’ callout, he said, “It kind of just shows you my level of—I would say I think it’s because of my level of skill set. Not too many people say anything about fighting me, you know, cuz it’s a high risk.”

Abdullah Mason realized that his rare moment of vulnerability in the November bout gave potential rivals the confidence to speak out. “They needed that. To know something, or to gain confidence about themselves,” he said. However, the southpaw welcomed the challenge, insisting he’s primed to take on the division’s elite.

Who do you think is the best pick for Abdullah Mason at the moment? Furthermore, will Tito come down to 135? Let us know your thoughts down below.