Sam Noakes


Sam Noakes is an English professional boxer. He challenged for the WBO lightweight title in 2025. Noakes has held the Commonwealth lightweight title since November 2022 and is also a former British and European champion in the same weight division.

Career

After an amateur career boxing out of Westree ABC which included winning the England Boxing National Amateur Championships light-welterweight title, Noakes turned professional in July 2019 signing a four-year contract with Frank Warren's Queensbury Promotions.
His first pro-fight was on 27 September 2019 at the Royal Albert Hall in London when he won via stoppage after his opponent, Chris Adaway, quit on his stool before the final round.
In just his eighth outing, Noakes won his first title in the paid ranks by stopping Shaun Cooper in the ninth round at the Copper Box Arena in London to claim the vacant WBC International Silver lightweight championship on 4 December 2021.
He successfully defended the title with a fourth round stoppage of Vincenzo Finiello at Wembley Arena in London on 19 March 2022.
Noakes claimed the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title on 26 November 2022, defeating Calvin McCord by technical knockout in round four at The O2 Arena in London.
A second round stoppage of Karthik Sathish Kumar saw Noakes retain his Commonwealth and WBC International Silver belts at the Copper Box Arena in London on 15 April 2023.
Next, with his WBC International Silver title on the line, he secured a 12th successive win inside the distance thanks to a fourth round technical knockout victory over Carlos Perez at York Hall in London on 1 December 2023.
On 10 February 2024, Noakes won the vacant British and WBO International lightweight titles by stopping Lewis Sylvester in the fourth round at the Copper Box Arena in London.
Despite being taken the distance for the first time in his professional career, Noakes became European lightweight champion with a unanimous points victory over Frenchman Yvan Mendy in a fight for the vacant title held at York Hall in London on 20 April 2024. All three ringside judges scored the contest as a 120–108 shutout in his favour.
He made a successful first defence of his European title against mandatory challenger Gianluca Ceglia from Italy at York Hall on 6 September 2024, when his opponent retired on his stool at the end of round eight. In October 2024, Noakes signed an extension to his promotional contract with Queensbury.
Noakes defended his British, Commonwealth and WBO International titles with a unanimous decision win over Ryan Walsh at Wembley Arena in London on 7 December 2024. He was named the 2024 European Boxing Union male champion of the year.
Having vacated his European title a month earlier, Noakes stopped Patrik Balaz in the third of a scheduled eight-round contest at Nottingham Arena on 10 May 2025.
Fighting outside of England for the first time, Noakes faced fellow unbeaten boxer, Abdullah Mason, for the vacant WBO lightweight title at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 22 November 2025. He lost via unanimous decision with the judges scorecards reading 113–115, 113–115 and 111–117.

Personal life

Noakes' older brother Sean is also a professional boxer. He had jobs in a call centre, fast food restaurant and as a roofer before taking up boxing full-time.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
18Loss17–1Abdullah MasonUD1222 Nov 2025ANB Arena, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaFor vacant WBO lightweight title
17Win17–0Patrik Balaz3, 2:1710 May 2025Nottingham Arena, Nottingham, England
16Win16–0Ryan WalshUD127 Dec 2024Wembley Arena, London, EnglandRetained the British, Commonwealth and WBO International lightweight titles
15Win15–0Gianluca Ceglia8, 3:006 Sep 2024York Hall, London, EnglandRetained the European lightweight title
14Win14–0Yvan Mendy1220 Apr 2024York Hall, London, EnglandWon vacant European lightweight title
13Win13–0Lewis SylvesterTKO4, 2:1010 Feb 2024Copper Box Arena, London, EnglandRetained Commonwealth and WBC International Silver lightweight titles
Won vacant British and WBO International lightweight titles
12Win12–0Carlos PerezTKO4, 1:161 Dec 2023York Hall, London, EnglandRetained WBC International Silver lightweight title
11Win11–0Karthik Sathish KumarTKO2, 1:1715 Apr 2023Copper Box Arena, London, EnglandRetained Commonwealth and WBC International Silver lightweight titles
10Win10–0Calvin McCordTKO4, 2:1426 Nov 2022The O2 Arena, London, EnglandRetained WBC International Silver lightweight title;
Won vacant Commonwealth lightweight title
9Win9–0Vincenzo FinielloTKO4, 1:5419 Mar 2022Wembley Arena, London, EnglandRetained WBC International Silver lightweight title
8Win8–0Shaun CooperTKO9, 1:354 Dec 2021Copper Box Arena, London, EnglandWon vacant WBC International Silver lightweight title
7Win7–0Naeem AliTKO2, 3:0024 Jul 2021Wembley Arena, London, England
6Win6–0Lee ConnellyTKO3, 3:0010 Jul 2021Royal Albert Hall, London, England
5Win5–0Delmar ThomasTKO1, 1:5027 Feb 2021Copper Box Arena, London, England
4Win4–0Jordan EllisonTKO5, 1:2820 Aug 2020BT Sport Studio, London, England
3Win3–0Des NewtonTKO1, 3:0022 Feb 2020York Hall, London, England
2Win2–0Daryl PearceTKO3, 2:0721 Dec 2019Copper Box Arena, London, England
1Win1–0Chris Adaway3, 3:0027 Sep 2019Royal Albert Hall, London, England