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, โnigglesโ 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: Itโs massive. Everyoneโs thinking about world titles but the only other one Iโve had my eye set on is a British so Iโm 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: Itโs always something Iโd like to do. Itโs good to do it that way because you donโt want to rush and then try to get to world level as quickly as you can and come unstuck. Youโve got pay your dues in that respect and do it the proper way. I think thatโs the way Al(an) [Smith] wants to guide me. I put my career in his hands; Iโve got all my faith in him. As long as I keep winning, keep learning, keep fightingโฆ pick that British title up and Iโd be buzzing. And then keep pushing on that traditional way.
BN: So, what do you know about Lewis Sylvester?
SN: Heโs a good fighter; a good boxer. Heโs gonna be hungry for it, I know that much. Itโs got the makings of a real good fight. Heโs probably trained the hardest he ever has for a fight, the same as I have so, I think itโs 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: Iโve always had that belief that it may happen anyway. I always fight at a high pace with high pressure. Nine times out of 10 thatโs what ends up happening. I want to keep that streak going, Iโll always want to until I end up going the distance, but itโll always be in the back of my head. Iโve 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. Iโm quite relentless in that respect. I ainโt got no real highlight reel KOs as such. Donโt get me wrong my finishes still look good but itโs none of these one-punch boom knockouts. Iโm not saying I ainโt 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 Iโve had and the camp Iโve had – I know you probably hear that from every fighter – but it has gone really well. Now itโs about going in there and doing the business.
BN: To be fair, there arenโt many going about these days who knock people out with one punch.
SN: Yeah, especially when you get up to that level when someoneโs got to make a clean mistake for you to do it. Fundamentally I just want to win. And second to that, I donโt want it to go 12 rounds. As in how it actually looks when I win, Iโm not really that bothered.
BN: You spoke how youโve had a great camp, and every fighter does say that. Only afterwards do you find out if it wasnโt. So far, have you ever had a camp thatโs been stop-start or interrupted by injury?
SN:ย Iโve had ones where Iโve had injuries in sparring. Iโve had injuries in the last spar a few times and they add little things in the back of your head. But Iโve 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. Iโve been cut in a final spar as well. Knowing this has been for the British title Iโve enjoyed it more. Iโve had a better camp just in myself. I ainโt been like, โOh, Iโve got to spar today.โ Iโve been looking forward to sparring this time because itโs such a big fight to me and it means so much.
BN: Have these injuries made you rethink how you spar?
SN:ย Weโve got it down to a tee. Youโre never going to be able to not spar. I think itโs 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 thatโs when the injuries will start to come. When I say injuries theyโre probably more like niggles. Iโve had a couple of hand niggles but other than that I think you learn about yourself and whatโs best for you. Youโre more likely to under-train than over-train. When I first started, I thought the more I train the better Iโll be but really, youโve gotta train right. I ainโt no spring chicken no more either so Iโve 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 youโd get the call to fight Gwynne?
SN: I definitely thought weโd 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. Iโm not saying they said no to fighting me. I think it didnโt quite fit in with what they had planned. I reckon Iโll 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 donโt think no-one wants to fight me, thatโs just silly to say that. Everyone wants to fight, itโs the fight game. Iโve ended up fighting Sylvester and theyโve 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 itโs a brilliant fight and Iโm looking forward to watching it. Iโve 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 Thatโs what I want as well. Iโve learned my craft as a pro. Iโve 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 thatโs going on in Saudi Arabia itโd 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 Iโve heard and seen Maxi Hughes beat Kambosos last time out. Maxiโs had a bit of hard luck there, he should be fighting Lomachenko for the IBF title. Itโs boxing.
BN: This time next year youโll 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.