Sam Noakes continued his impressive rise through the ranks.
The undefeated 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 failed to progress to the eighth round of their TNT Sports main event at York Hall, Bethnal Green, London on Friday.
Noakes (15-0, 14 knockouts) won the belt against veteran Yvan Mendy in April. It was 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 was making his second attempt at the EBU title.
Noakes kept Ceglia (21-5-1, 4 KOs) honest with his stiff jab and left hooks to the body. Over the course of a few rounds, the bodywork paid off and slowed down the challenger, who had already shown signs of struggle in 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 fourth round, regularly covering Ceglia on the ropes.
By the sixth round, Noakes, who entered as a 1/25 favorite to win, had completely asserted his dominance and it seemed a matter of time with Ceglia looking tired. As it appeared the Italian was there for the taking, Noakes continued to probe but never really put his foot down.
The tender continued into the seventh and eighth before a relieved Ceglia returned to his corner with visible damage to his right eye. He had had enough and his corner informed the referee who waved off the match.
When @SamNoakes3 pile on the pressure, his opponents are forced to concede… and he’s back on the KO streak 🙌💥#NoakesCeglia | @boxingontnt pic.twitter.com/rSCZDBBbgR
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) September 6, 2024
Afterwards, Noakes, his coach 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,” Noakes said. “He was quite tough, it was a good learning fight because everyone talks about these big boys, but I’ve only had 15 fights. I know I have a lot to learn, I’m not at my best yet and fights like this are going to bring me out.”
His coach, Smith, felt it was a more solid than spectacular performance.
“(Ceglia) is very tough and very durable, he’s been there,” the experienced coach said. “You’re not always going to look devastating every time, he looked good last time, this time he did what he had to against the mandatory challenger. It’s another step closer to the world title.”
Which brought in Warren, who had expertly guided Noakes until now.
“Rounds like tonight will be invaluable when that opportunity arises,” Warren said. “Sam is the best lightweight in Europe and he proved it against a very tough man.
“We take each fight as it comes, of course there are names we would like to chase, but the opportunities will present themselves. He is the WBO International champion and Denys Berinchyk holds that world title, so it seems like the natural route to follow.”
Mainstay Masood Abdulah stopped George Stewart late in the 12th round to win the vacant Commonwealth featherweight title.
The two struck up an exciting relationship throughout. Abdulah (11-0, 8 KOs) hurt Stewart (7-1, 1 KO) and forced the stoppage in the closing seconds of the fight.
He later called out British champion Nathaniel Collins, who had vacated the Commonwealth title, to face him next.
