CLEVELAND, Ohio — ‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, the hands can’t hit, what the eyes can’t see,’ and the Mason family is much more than what meets the eye.
“It’s in the blood; if you’re from Cleveland and your last name is Mason, you gotta watch out,” Adel Mason said.
Amir, Adel, Abdur-Rahman, Abdullah and Ibrahim, some people call them the Jackson Five of boxing; they're better known as the Mason Brothers, and they travel the country together boxing.
“They show me the best of what they know, I’m showing them the best of what I know, and together we’re headed toward the same goals," Amir said.
The siblings are between 17 and 26 years old, a product of Cleveland’s Eastside in the Buckeye area, Amir and Abdullah have already gone pro, and this Saturday, two others will make their pro debut in Cleveland.
"Cleveland has been supporting us for so long, it’s only right that we come back if we can," Abdullah said.
The brothers learned everything they know from their dad, who's also their coach.
“I’m happy for them; it’s something they want to do,” said the siblings’ father, Valiant Mason. “As long as they are in boxing, I’m going to be in boxing with them.”
The Mason’s success didn’t come overnight; their father said they had to grind to have enough money so they could travel to boxing matches.
“Cleveland saw them coming up. Those who support us and know the Mason Brothers, they know the grind for them being out there pushing on the street, selling the products to stay on the road," Valiant said.
But the fuel to their killer instinct is their brotherhood.
“Doing it together makes the journey that much more fulfilling being with each other on the road seeing each other progress gives us more of a bond," Abdullah said.
“They mesh so well together, they never had a fight,” Valiant said.
The brothers say they will never throw in the towel because their ultimate goal is something much bigger than them.
“We're all in it to inspire others, to help others,” said Abdullah. “At the end of the day, you can only get so big before you have to give back and pour back into the people who helped you get there.”
You can catch the Mason Brothers this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Mason Cleveland; clickhere to buy tickets.
