The conversation is always the same when talks turn to the lightweight division.

Barely two years ago, the conversation was about the Four Kings of lightweight—Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia. Former two-division champ Shakur Stevenson has rapidly entered the equation after officially moving up in weight earlier this year. Keyshawn Davis and Frank Martin have already begun the transformation from blue-chip prospects to red-hot rising contenders.

One name that hasn’t yet been discussed often enough is Abdullah Mason. Perhaps it’s because the humble 19-year-old allows his actions to speak for him—though it’s something he’s prepared to change, within reason.  

“I’m not too loud about it. I felt like I didn’t need to be,” Mason told BoxingScene.com. “But we just have to let them know. I’m starting to develop an appetite for this. They’re about to find out.”

Mason (8-0, 7KOs) will get to perform in the presence of a wider audience than ever before.

The rising lightweight from the greater Cleveland area—who signed with Top Rank less than two years ago—will be prominently showcased on the main ESPN telecast this Saturday from Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. His scheduled six-round bout versus Brazil’s Alex de Oliveira (20-4, 14KOs) will land between a pair of heavyweight fights topped by Toledo’s Jared Anderson (14-0, 14KOs) versus former IBF titlist Charles Martin (29-3-1, 26KOs).

Mason’s primetime appearance comes in a fight roughly two hours from his Bedford hometown and in his third fight within a three-month span. His most recent start came on the Devin Haney Vasiliy Lomachenko undercard May 20 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, where he stopped Desmond Lyons in the sixth round. Mason was the first to stop Lyons and did the same to Erick Garcia in a 92-second blitzing just seven weeks prior in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Saturday’s placement on ESPN’s linear network as opposed to appearing on the ESPN+ preliminary undercard should help create dialogue about the next great lightweight—at least for those not previously aware.

“Top Rank is allowing me to build for something bigger,” acknowledged Mason, whose older siblings all box, including 140-pound pro Amir Mason (4-0, 3KOs). “They see the vision how we see it and they keep pushing me the way we want.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox