Abdullah Mason is viewed as one of the top prospects in the sport. His family has been an important pillar of his success.

Mason faces Carlos Orleans in a 10-round lightweight bout on Saturday at Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Mason, 17-0 (15 KOs), has stopped seven opponents in a row. Before and after each fight, familiar faces are near him: his father and trainer, Valiant Mason, plus his four brothers. Abdullah, a 20-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, is emerging as one of the most exciting young fighters, with fight fans eager to follow what is next for the humble warrior. 

Valiant Mason, when asked what it is like raising a potential boxing superstar, says his son hasn’t let success change him.

“It's wonderful,” Valiant Mason tells BoxingScene. “He's very manageable and he's excellent and consistent at what he does and it's going to be great.”

Abdullah adds: “It makes it easier and it makes all the sacrifices worth it. Just having my family by my side, it's a lot easier to push forward.”

Mason was originally set to face Giovanni Cabrera before Cabrera was forced to withdraw from the fight. That set the stage for Mason to fight the 30-year-old Orleans, 28-4 (15 KOs) of Rosarito, Mexico. 

Mason insists he isn’t overlooking the replacement opponent.

“He's probably not the same caliber on paper, but he's still a great fighter,” Abdullah said. “He’s still got all the tools. He can fight. He has good defense, good foot movement, and he has some explosive offense. So, to me, it's the same thing, I got to get in there and stay focused.” 

Last year, Mason passed an early gut check of a young fighter. In November, Mason, known for his ability to knock out opponents early in fights, was dropped twice in the first round against Yohan Vasquez. Mason would stop Vazquez in the second round. The fight was a lesson that father and son have reflected on. 

“More laser, sharp focus,” Valiant said of the fight. “Sometimes you've got to make adjustments, and just turn on another light bulb.”

After the knockout win, Mason didn’t take his mouthpiece out, a subtle detail which shows how comfortable he is with fighting. He did his in-ring interview with the mouthpiece still in place.

“That wasn't my main priority. I had it in my head to take my mouthpiece out,” Mason recalled. “I wanted to get the interviews over with and get back to the locker room and talk with the team.”

While many fans will watch on Saturday to see whether Mason will have another great performance, Valiant smiled with pride talking about the foundation he set for his sons. 

“It's really easy, easy for us, my guys, because I think they'll be good at whatever they do,” Valiant said. “The foundation has been there. They're great kids, and it's been very important for us, and it's working out.”

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.