No surprises at York Hall in Bethnal Green (London), where reigning European lightweight champion Sam Noakes (15-0-0, 14 KOs) lived up to the pre-fight predictions, defeating Italian challenger Gianluca Ceglia (21-5-1, 4 KOs) in a one-sided fight. The main event of the Queensberry Promotions card, organized by Frank Warren, ended after the eighth round, with Ceglia withdrawing, unable to continue after absorbing a massive amount of punches.
Ceglia attempted to surprise the heavy favorite with a proactive approach to the fight and managed to land a few decent shots through the champion’s guard, who looked a bit stiff and tense in the first minute and a half of the bout. However, by the second half of the first round, Noakes asserted his dominance and took control of the fight.
The champion used his left jab to break through and then unleashed his heavy punches, favoring body uppercuts, his trademark. The result was a demolition that, while somewhat monotonous at times, was unstoppable. Ceglia’s occasional attempts to interrupt Noakes’ rhythm were too sporadic to turn the tide of the fight.
After his initial aggressive start, Ceglia showed brief flashes in the third round and landed a couple of decent uppercuts to the face in the fourth. However, these were isolated moments, far too short-lived to counter the relentless onslaught from Noakes.
The hometown hero slightly slowed his pace in the fifth round, but any thought that he might be tiring was quickly dispelled. From the start of the sixth round, Noakes found a second wind, intensifying his already relentless assault. To make matters worse for Ceglia, a visible swelling on his right eye raised concerns, despite excellent corner work by cutman Domenico Colella.
Despite bravely trying to hold on for another two rounds, Ceglia had no choice but to retire at the end of the eighth round. The punishment was becoming too severe, and realistically, there was no longer any chance of turning the fight around.
Sam Noakes certainly passed this test, once again showcasing power, consistency, and solid technical fundamentals. Aside from some minor early defensive lapses, the British fighter was in full control of the fight with a solid and effective boxing style, leaving little doubt that he is currently the best lightweight in Europe.
However, should Noakes have world championship ambitions, he may need to add a few more tools to his arsenal. In a division currently dominated by elite fighters like Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson, the classic and somewhat “textbook” style of the British prospect might not be enough to secure a world title shot.
Noakes does everything well but seems to lack that extra bit of creativity that usually gives great fighters the gift of unpredictability. His demolition work is executed with excellent technique, but his combinations are somewhat telegraphed. This slight limitation could become decisive if the level of his opponents rises significantly.