Sam Noakes bought a ticket for his first-ever live boxing show almost six years ago. He paid £25 for a hospitality seat at Wembley Stadium to witness the clash between Anthony Joshua and Alexander Povetkin.
However, despite being a 20-year-old amateur who still had another year to go before his professional debut, he made it a point to arrive at the venue well in advance to observe Luke Campbell, one of his recent sparring partners, in action.
Campbell, the left-handed boxer from Hull, sought revenge against Yvan Mendy, a French opponent who had defeated him and ended his unbeaten streak three years prior. That evening, Campbell emerged victorious, securing a unanimous decision and impressing the spectators, including Noakes.
Despite Campbell’s retirement, Mendy, who is 38 years old, continues to advance, while Noakes, who is now considered one of the country’s most thrilling lightweights, aims to include the Frenchman’s name in his flawless track record.
Noakes commented that Mendy has quite a bit of experience and has been around for a while.
I attended the second Luke Campbell fight, which happened to be the first show I ever went to. It was held at Wembley, featuring Anthony Joshua against Alexander Povetkin. I was only 20 years old then. Since I had recently sparred with Luke Campbell, it was important for us to be present at that fight.
My best mate’s uncle unexpectedly had some hospitality tickets available, priced at a mere 25 quid. Without hesitation, we eagerly acquired them and promptly made our way to the event.
I don’t believe Mendy has changed much since then. He still possesses great durability, aggression, and a powerful punch. However, it’s worth noting that he is older now and not as active. Furthermore, he has struggled to make the championship weight since his fight against Denys Berinchyk, which is advantageous for me. Hopefully, I can secure a late stoppage victory. I envision a scenario where the referee steps in and calls off the fight, but I must acknowledge Mendy’s toughness as I have not witnessed him being hurt. My goal is to maintain a perfect record of 14 wins, all by knockout, and having an opponent like Mendy on my resume would be quite an accomplishment.
Noakes will be making his third appearance in just over four months, after securing victory by stoppage against Carlos Perez in December and Lewis Sylvester in February. These wins compensated for only one other fight in 2023, a dominant performance against Karthik Kumar that ended in a two-round blowout.
He remarked about his quiet 2023, saying that during tough times, one may lose interest in the sport, but he persevered and continued to push forward.
The previous year, my plan was to have a fight in September, but it fell through. However, I immediately resumed training for a fight in December. Unexpectedly, I found myself on vacation when I received a call advising me to be cautious because I had a fight scheduled for February. Shortly after, I was informed that my next bout would take place in April.
I found myself in Prague, having just landed and settled into a cozy café for breakfast. As I indulged in my meal, my phone suddenly buzzed, and it was Al [Smith] reminding me to watch my food intake, as I had an upcoming fight in eight weeks.
“This particular one holds significance as it is even advertised on television as ‘Noakes v Mendy,’ which gives it a good impression. However, I remain focused on my identity as a fighter and do not get overly involved in the glamour of showbiz. My primary concern is staying active and continuously engaging in fights.”
Noakes, who currently holds an impressive record of 13-0 with 13 KOs, sees a significant opportunity in becoming the first man to defeat Mendy. This victory would serve as a powerful statement for him, as he is on the verge of reaching the world level in the lightweight division. Since Devin Haney, the undisputed champion, moved up to light-welterweight, the lightweight division has experienced some changes. Noakes firmly believes that these changes have opened up new doors of opportunity for him.
“He acknowledges that Devin Haney’s move up has created an opportunity for us in the division. The division is now more accessible. However, we are not too far behind. I am aware that Berinchyk is set to fight Emanuel Navarrete, and as I am ranked in the top 10 with the WBO, it would be great to face the winner of that bout. Nonetheless, I have a challenging fight ahead on Saturday, and I am solely focused on that without looking beyond it.”
“I never anticipated it would turn out this way. My mother insisted I take up boxing as a child, and while I initially developed a passion for it, that love eventually faded away. However, at some point, I decided to give it another shot, although I never envisioned reaching this level as a child. It’s absolutely mind-boggling how swiftly things have progressed. Winning the British title was a monumental achievement, but now it feels like a distant memory as we focus on the upcoming European match against Mendy.”
Currently, my main priority is to improve, but when my career comes to a close, I will take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey it has been.
I possess a strong sense of determination. Observers may perceive my fights as effortless, thinking that I can simply outmaneuver my opponent. However, once inside the ring, the reality is quite different. I may not appear to be a skilled boxer, but my ultimate goal is to emerge victorious. While it may seem straightforward, the actual execution is far more challenging.
Mendy will discover the same thing on Saturday as well.
