Sam Noakes Confident of Defeating Abdullah Mason After Shakur Stevenson Sparring Session

Sam Noakes is confident of defeating Abdullah Mason on November 22nd after the sparring that he did with Shakur Stevenson. Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) says the sparring he did with WBC lightweight champion Shakur made him realize that he’s not “miles away” from his level.

Sam didn’t provide details about what kind of success he had with Stevenson, but it’s possible that he put him on the run after connecting with some of his big shots.

Noakes vs. Mason will be fighting for the vacant WBO 135-lb title on DAZN on November 22nd at the ANB Arena in Riyadh.

Noakes’ Career Progression

“I think it’s anyone’s fight. I’m buzzing for it,” said Sam Noakes to the Ring Magazine channel about his fight against Abdullah Mason on November 22nd. “I’m not worried. I’m not bothered if anyone thinks, ‘You’ve not fought anyone to get here.’ I’m going in there headstrong, ready to get that title. I’m not saying I don’t belong at that table.”

It’s a little late now. Noakes is here, and if nothing else, he’ll get a nice payday out of the Mason fight. There’s nothing he can do at this point if he’s not ready for the monstrous step up in class. Ideally, Noakes’ promoter should have already begun matching him against top-tier fighters several years ago. He’s a six-year pro, and this will be the first time Sam has fought a top-15 guy.

Noakes’ Recent Wins

Patrik Balaz
Gianluca Ceglia
Ryan Walsh
Lewis Sylvester
Yvan Mendy
Carlos Perez

Stevenson Sparring Boosts Noakes

“That was probably a good turning point for me. I sparred five four-minute rounds [with Shakur Stevenson],” said Noakes about the sparring he did with Shakur last January. “I could see that he’s not miles away. That for me was good. It would good to get that. It was nice that I held my own. He came out and said, ‘He’s a big puncher.’ It’s nice to know that it’s in your head and you’re deluded. It’s not just you that believe in it. Other people do as well.”

It’s not a big deal that Noakes had success with his sparring session against Shakur. The light-hitting New Jersey native Stevenson hasn’t proven himself as an elite-level fighter since moving up from super featherweight. If Noakes can capture the vacant WBO title on November 22nd, it won’t be long before he gets the opportunity to fight Shakur in a unification match. That’s if Stevenson holds onto his WBC title for much longer.