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Maidstone’s boxing brothers are looking forward to a big 2025 after ending the year in style.
Fighting on the same bill for the first time since turning professional, Sam and Sean Noakes showed their class at Wembley Arena on Saturday night.
Sam, 27, defended British, European and WBO International lightweight titles with a dominant points victory over Ryan Walsh.
That came after Sean, 29, bossed his first English title defence in taking a unanimous decision against fellow unbeaten opponent Mathew Rennie (13-0-1).
Sam, now 16-0, remains on course for a world title shot while Sean, who improves his record to 9-0, looks set to relinquish his English crown to step up to International level.
Walsh (29-4-2) took some heavy punishment from Sam but gamely soldiered on and made the final bell.
It was an impressive display from the Maidstone man, who’d been slightly disappointed with his performance against Gianluca Ceglia last time out.
“I felt really good in there,” said Noakes.
“The whole week went smoothly. Everything was just fine. Normally fight weeks drag, so it’s a bit of a pain, but it was good throughout.
“I remember, last time, I didn’t really enjoy it when I was in there but this one, it was just fun. I enjoyed the whole week.
“You get it with footballers. Footballers have bad games. It’s one of those inevitable things.
“Sometimes you have those little dips but it’s nice to have those little dips and still win. That’s what it was last time.
“I knew Ryan Walsh would be tough. It would have been nice to get the stoppage but I felt like he deserved to see it through to the final bell.
“He was a good opponent, he was good all week and he comes from a good family as well.
“I was a bit gutted about the stoppage but it’s a credit to how tough he was.
“I caught him with a few uppercuts and his nose would start bleeding but then he was clever at keeping out the way of that second phase. He was just clever being in there.
“He was good. The reason I had to be so good was because of him.
“The better the opponent, the better you perform because you’ve got to focus more. The margin for error is less.”
Noakes is looking forward to seeing what comes next.
There’s big fights on the horizon, including a potential world title bout, but the former Westree amateur will take things in his stride.
“It’s been a good year,” he said. “It’s nice to keep busy and keep stepping up.
“Every fight’s getting more notable, so it just puts us in a good position for the start of next year.
“I’m looking for more of the same, to keep winning and edging towards that world title shot.
“I don’t think it’s too far away but even if it’s not until the end of next year, or the start of the year after, it doesn’t matter when it comes.”
Older brother Sean produced the best performance of his career to take Rennie’s unbeaten record.
Rennie edged the first and third rounds but Noakes was well on top in the rest of the contest.
The only surprise was that his opponent lasted the full 10 rounds.
“I’m happy with it overall,” said Noakes.
“We just figured him out in the first couple of rounds and then the game plan pretty much went to perfection apart from the stoppage.
“After I got hold of him in the fifth and again in the sixth, he’d had enough and I thought his corner should have pulled him out.
“He dug in there, he was a tough man, but I thought his corner should have saved him because he wasn’t in the fight after that.
“We knew he’d be good early because he’s got a good amateur pedigree and he boxed for England. But once we started landing the body shots and slowed his feet down, I just got hold of him.
“After the fifth and the sixth, when I put the beating on him, he wasn’t in the fight. He had no way to hurt me.
“I think they should have saved him from a bit of a hiding, really.
“He won the first and nicked the third and after that I won every round. I just beat him up.
“He’s the best fighter I’ve boxed, so it’s probably my best performance overall, considering the opponent and the occasion. It could be a big 2025. I think I’m done with the English title now.
“I think we’re above that now so we’re going to do a couple of international fights, hopefully get another belt and see where the British is at the back end of next year.”
The brothers, promoted by Frank Warren and managed by Francis Warren, shared a changing room at Wembley Arena.
Sam elected not to watch Sean’s fight on TV backstage.
“This is what I said to him, you end up going through the same emotions twice, so I didn’t watch him,” said Sam. “But everyone’s saying it’s the best he’s ever boxed.”
Knowing his brother’s fight was still to come, Sean was determined to return to the changing room a winner and keep family morale high.
“I could have gone back with a loss and dampened the mood for everyone, but I took it in my stride,” said Sean. “I just concentrated on the job in hand.”