Abdullah Mason is special. Even if you weren’t the biggest fan of his skillset, it’s difficult to deny how good the newly turned 21-year-old is.

Prior to his birthday taking place this past weekend, Mason (18-0, 16 KOs) wasn’t old enough to buy himself a drink at the bar, but he’s always been good enough to go out there and dominate. Last Saturday night was no different.

Late replacement Carlos Ornelas did his best to match him but in practically every department, he was severely outgunned, leading to a sixth-round stoppage at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As Mason continued to pummel his man, Bob Arum, his longtime promoter, smiled in his ringside seat. Arum has been around the block a few times during his lifetime. He’s also seen more than a handful of special fighters, not great but special ones. There’s a difference.

You see, great fighters can go out there, win titles, and be competitive with just about every and anyone. In the case of special fighters, they can do the same, just with more relative ease. In addition to that, they often become household names and must-see TV. That, according to Mason, is the category Arum placed him in.

“Bob told me right after the fight ‘Stay focused and you’ll be the face of boxing,’” said Mason during an interview with Sean Zittel.

Grabbing a belt in a division as stacked as the 135-pound landscape would go a long way. Currently, Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Keyshawn Davis have a stranglehold on the lightweight titles.

Mason loathes the position they’re in, mainly because he wants what they have. At some point, he believes his championship dreams will be placated. That might be a given in his mind but that wouldn't be enough.

When the time is right, Mason will happily pick off one of those titles but in the process of doing that, not only does he believe he’ll reign as a longtime champion but when it comes to being one of the most recognizable faces in the world, he’ll be up there with anyone.

“I see myself as the face of boxing coming up.”