Lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason will return in February against Manuel Jaimes in a Top Rank card. It’s not a compelling match-up for the 20-year-old Mason, but it’s a predictable one after his last disappointing performance.

Mason vs. Jaimes: A Step Back?

Mason (16-0, 14 KOs) is taking a step back with this fight against Jaimes (16-2-1, 11 KOs) after his shaky performance against veteran Yohan Vasquez on November 8th at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. Mason was dropped twice in the first round by the 30-year-old Dominican Republic native Vasquez (26-6, 21 KOs). It was lucky for Mason that Vasquez suffered a knee injury in the first round.

Boxing Scene reports that Mason will fight San Jose, California native Manuel Jaimes next.

For those two who follow the sport closely, they know Jaimes as the guy that former WBA light welterweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero recently defeated by a lopsided 10-round unanimous decision on September 14th on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Rolly-Jaimes was buried on the undercard at the fifth spot from the main event. Rolly uses Jaimes as a confidence booster after losing his WBA 140-lb title to Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz by an eighth-round knockout on March 30th.

Manuel Jaimes was no competition for Rolly, who outboxed and out-slugged him. It looked like Romero carried him because he could hammer him, but he appeared to stay in first gear the entire ten-round contest to get some rounds in. The scores were 99-91, 99-91 and 99-91.

Mason vs. Jaimes could be fighting on the undercard of lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis’ next card, as he’s expected to challenge WBO champion Denys Berinchyk in February.

The Chin Question

Top Rank is going to have to figure out how to protect Abdullah Mason to keep him from getting knocked out before he fights for a world title. Floyd Schofield Sr. revealed recently that Mason was hurt in sparring by his son, Schofield Jr, and he thinks he’s got a chin problem.

The Vasquez fight would confirm that. If Mason’s punch resistance continues to be a problem, Top Rank will have to guide him in the direction of a weak puncher like Shakur Stevenson and hope that he can handle the pinpoint shots from the WBC champion.