Sam Noakes continued his impressive rise through the ranks.
The unbeaten lightweight made the first defense of his EBU title with an eighth-round stoppage of Gianluca Ceglia. The relatively one-sided affair ended when Ceglia was unable to continue after the eighth round of their TNT Sports main event Friday at York Hall, Bethnal Green, London.
Noakes (15-0, 14 knockouts) won the belt against veteran Yvan Mendy via decision in April. It marked the lone time he went the distance but in a twelve-round shutout.
There was no surprise that he was far too advanced for Italy’s Ceglia, who made his second attempt at the EBU title.
Noakes kept Ceglia (21-5-1, 4 KOs) honest with his stiff jab and lefts hooks to the body. Over the course of a few rounds the body work paid dividends and slowed the challenger, who was showing signs of battle as early as the second round.
Noakes, who is also the British and Commonwealth champion, was on the defensive in the third-round before storming back in the forth-round and regularly had Ceglia covering up on the ropes.
By the sixth-round Noakes, who entered as a 1/25 betting favorite, had completely asserted his dominance and it looked a matter of time with Ceglia looking weary. While it appeared the Italian was there for the taking Noakes continued to probe but never really put his foot down.
The tendering continued in the seventh and eighth before a disconsolate Ceglia returned to his corner with visible damage to his right eye. He had had enough and his corner informed referee who waved off the contest.
When @SamNoakes3 piles on the pressure, his opponents are forced to yield… and he’s back on the KO streak #NoakesCeglia | @boxingontnt pic.twitter.com/rSCZDBBbgR
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) September 6, 2024
Afterwards Noakes, his trainer Alan Smith and manager Francis Warren spoke to TNT Sports.
“I think his experience showed, it was a tougher fight than I thought it would be but it was good rounds,” said Noakes. “He was quite tough, it was a good learning fight because everyone is talking about these big boys but I’ve still only had 15 fights. I know I’ve got a lot to learn, I’m not at my best yet and fights like this are going to bring me on.”
His trainer, Smith, felt it was a more solid than spectacular performance.
“[Ceglia’s] very tough and very durable, he’s been around,” said the experienced trainer. “You aint always going to look devastating every time, he looked great last time, this time he did what he needed to do against the mandatory challenger. It’s another step closer to the world title.”
Which brought in Warren, who has guided Noakes expertly so far.
“Rounds like tonight will prove invaluable when that opportunity does present itself,” said Warren. “Sam is the best lightweight in Europe and he’s proved it against a very tough man.
“We take each fight as it comes, obviously there are names we’d like to chase after but the opportunities will present themselves. He’s the WBO International champion and Denys Berinchyk holds that world title so that seems the natural route to take.”
In chief support, Masood Abdulah stopped George Stewart late in the 12th Round to win the vacant commonwealth featherweight title.
The two engaged in an exciting affair throughout. Abdulah (11-0, 8 KOs) had Stewart (7-1, 1 KO) hurt and forced the stoppage in the closing seconds of the fight.
He later called out British champion Nathaniel Collins, who vacated the commonwealth title, to face him next.
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