In his four years as a pro Sam Noakes has fought 12 times with not one opponent lasting the distance. Ahead of his British lightweight title fight against Lewis Sylvester the 26-year-old speaks to Boxing News about the perfect start to his career, Gavin Gwynne vs. Mark Chamberlain, โ€œnigglesโ€ in sparring, and more.


Interview by Shaun Brown


BN: Your fight against Lewis Sylvester is now for the vacant British lightweight title. What does that mean to you?

SN: Itโ€™s massive. Everyoneโ€™s thinking about world titles but the only other one Iโ€™ve had my eye set on is a British so Iโ€™m going to do everything in my power to win it come fight night.

BN: Did you want to go the traditional route of British, Commonwealth and European?

SN: Itโ€™s always something Iโ€™d like to do. Itโ€™s good to do it that way because you donโ€™t want to rush and then try to get to world level as quickly as you can and come unstuck. Youโ€™ve got pay your dues in that respect and do it the proper way. I think thatโ€™s the way Al(an) [Smith] wants to guide me. I put my career in his hands; Iโ€™ve got all my faith in him. As long as I keep winning, keep learning, keep fightingโ€ฆ pick that British title up and Iโ€™d be buzzing. And then keep pushing on that traditional way.

BN: So, what do you know about Lewis Sylvester?

SN: Heโ€™s a good fighter; a good boxer. Heโ€™s gonna be hungry for it, I know that much. Itโ€™s got the makings of a real good fight. Heโ€™s probably trained the hardest he ever has for a fight, the same as I have so, I think itโ€™s going to be a good matchup.

BN: In your 12 fights to date no opponent has gone the distance with you. Do you now go into your fights expecting that streak to continue?

SN: Iโ€™ve always had that belief that it may happen anyway. I always fight at a high pace with high pressure. Nine times out of 10 thatโ€™s what ends up happening. I want to keep that streak going, Iโ€™ll always want to until I end up going the distance, but itโ€™ll always be in the back of my head. Iโ€™ve had a good run of it really, with 12 out of 12.

BN: Normally at the beginning of a career journeymen take prospects the distance but you were getting them out of there.

SN: I fight at quite a high pace. Iโ€™m quite relentless in that respect. I ainโ€™t got no real highlight reel KOs as such. Donโ€™t get me wrong my finishes still look good but itโ€™s none of these one-punch boom knockouts. Iโ€™m not saying I ainโ€™t got that power, but I probably throw too many punches at once to get one big shot off. I think 12 rounds is a long time to go with me. And with the preparation Iโ€™ve had and the camp Iโ€™ve had – I know you probably hear that from every fighter – but it has gone really well. Now itโ€™s about going in there and doing the business.

BN: To be fair, there arenโ€™t many going about these days who knock people out with one punch.

SN: Yeah, especially when you get up to that level when someoneโ€™s got to make a clean mistake for you to do it. Fundamentally I just want to win. And second to that, I donโ€™t want it to go 12 rounds. As in how it actually looks when I win, Iโ€™m not really that bothered.

BN: You spoke how youโ€™ve had a great camp, and every fighter does say that. Only afterwards do you find out if it wasnโ€™t. So far, have you ever had a camp thatโ€™s been stop-start or interrupted by injury?

SN:ย Iโ€™ve had ones where Iโ€™ve had injuries in sparring. Iโ€™ve had injuries in the last spar a few times and they add little things in the back of your head. But Iโ€™ve come through this one pretty sweet. I remember when I fought Vincenzo Finiello, I broke my hand beforehand in the last spar, but I still had to fight. Iโ€™ve been cut in a final spar as well. Knowing this has been for the British title Iโ€™ve enjoyed it more. Iโ€™ve had a better camp just in myself. I ainโ€™t been like, โ€œOh, Iโ€™ve got to spar today.โ€ Iโ€™ve been looking forward to sparring this time because itโ€™s such a big fight to me and it means so much.

BN: Have these injuries made you rethink how you spar?

SN:ย Weโ€™ve got it down to a tee. Youโ€™re never going to be able to not spar. I think itโ€™s more so in my head not trying as hard. Pushing when you need to push rather than keep going 100 per cent all the time because thatโ€™s when the injuries will start to come. When I say injuries theyโ€™re probably more like niggles. Iโ€™ve had a couple of hand niggles but other than that I think you learn about yourself and whatโ€™s best for you. Youโ€™re more likely to under-train than over-train. When I first started, I thought the more I train the better Iโ€™ll be but really, youโ€™ve gotta train right. I ainโ€™t no spring chicken no more either so Iโ€™ve got to look after my body.

BN: I wanted to get your take on the European lightweight title fight on March 8 between Gavin Gwynne and Mark Chamberlain, but first of all did you think youโ€™d get the call to fight Gwynne?

SN: I definitely thought weโ€™d be fighting at some stage. I think how it went was we got offered the date of February 10. I was on holiday when I got offered it and I said yes to fighting either one of them. Iโ€™m not saying they said no to fighting me. I think it didnโ€™t quite fit in with what they had planned. I reckon Iโ€™ll definitely fight the winner of that fight anyway but there might be a fight in-between first. All three of us are all up for fighting each other. I donโ€™t think no-one wants to fight me, thatโ€™s just silly to say that. Everyone wants to fight, itโ€™s the fight game. Iโ€™ve ended up fighting Sylvester and theyโ€™ve ended up fighting each other.

BN:ย So, who wins out of Gwynne and Chamberlain?

SN: I am totally on the fence. I can see Gwynne overpowering him and being too much, but it all comes down to how well Gwynne takes his left hand. I think itโ€™s a brilliant fight and Iโ€™m looking forward to watching it. Iโ€™ve got my eye on it anyway because I want the winner, but it is a good fight.

BN:ย It looks like a big 2024 is in store for you potentially.

SN:ย Thatโ€™s what I want as well. Iโ€™ve learned my craft as a pro. Iโ€™ve been pro four years; this is my fifth. Me and the team are ready for them big fights. February 10 is the start of a big year and with everything thatโ€™s going on in Saudi Arabia itโ€™d be nice to box out there at some point this year.

BN: How do see Vasyl Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos going?

SN: I reckon Lomachenko beats him. From what Iโ€™ve heard and seen Maxi Hughes beat Kambosos last time out. Maxiโ€™s had a bit of hard luck there, he should be fighting Lomachenko for the IBF title. Itโ€™s boxing.

BN: This time next year youโ€™ll be expecting to knock on the door of world level, won’t you?

SN:ย I think finish this year undefeated and 2025 is going to be massive.