Italian boxer Gianluca Ceglia will have his chance to fight for the European (EBU) Lightweight title. To do so, he will have to travel to York Hall in London on September 6th and face the current champion, 27-year-old English puncher Sam Noakes.
Ceglia, 34, earned this opportunity by defeating Spaniard Frank Urquiaga via Majority Decision on March 15th, claiming the EBU Silver title in the process, which served as a springboard to the full European title. This will be the second continental opportunity for our fighter, after his unsuccessful attempt two years ago when he lost on points in France against local hero Yvan Mendy.
Noakes, who won the belt by delivering a dominant performance against Mendy, is undefeated as a professional with 14 wins out of 14 fights and an impressive 13 KOs. The Englishman, known for his classic stance and sharp, explosive punches, has already stated his intention to finish the fight against the Italian challenger before the final bell:
“I can’t wait to put on a big performance and add another KO win to my record. I have got a huge future in this game, but first and foremost is to show that I am the best lightweight in Europe – bar none.”
In less than a month, we will find out if our representative can defy the odds, which heavily favor his opponent.