Sam Noakes vs Lewis Sylvester – Someone's '0' has got to go
Rising star Sam Noakes (12-0, 12KO) will fight undefeated English champion Lewis Sylvester (13-0, 4KO) at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday 10 February in the chief support to the mighty middleweight clash between Hamzah Sheeraz and Liam Williams, live on TNT Sports.
The Commonwealth and WBC International Silver belts, currently owned by Maidstone's Noakes, will be on the line against the undefeated champion from Hull.
Two-time World title challenger Anthony Yarde (24-3, 23KO) will return to action over 10 rounds at light heavyweight ahead of major title challenges in 2024.
The recently crowned Commonwealth Silver featherweight champion Masood Abdulah (9-0, 6KO) will make a first defence of his belt against the 2016 Olympian Qais Ashfaq (12-2, 5).
Sylvester, 25, won the vacant English title when he defeated the previously unbeaten Adam Cope in Sheffield via a unanimous verdict last July, before making a blistering first defence against Jimmy First in October when he took just over two minutes to complete the job.
Kent puncher Noakes has been on the title trail since the end of 2021 when he stopped Shaun Cooper for his WBC honour, before adding the Commonwealth to his cabinet with a fourth-round stoppage of Calvin McCord in November 2022. The charismatic Maidstone man extended his knockout run to 12 in December when Carlos Perez was accounted for in the fourth round at York Hall.
Islington’s Abdulah defeated Marc Leach in October to win his maiden title as a professional and he goes up against Leeds man Ashfaq, who dropped a split decision in challenge for the British super featherweight title against Liam Dillon in July.
Also featuring at the Copper Box will be the WBC International super lightweight champion Pierce O’Leary (13-0, 7KO) making a third defence of his belt. While light heavyweight Karol Itauma (10-1, 7) continues his journey over eight rounds.
Cruiserweights Tommy Fletcher (5-0, 4KO) and Aloys Jr (5-1, 5KO), as well as welterweight Khalid Ali (7-0, 3KO) and Essex featherweight Umar Khan (8-0) will fight over six rounds, with 1-0 newcomers Sam King (middleweight), Billy Adams (lightweight) and Charlie Hickford (super featherweight) having their second four round encounters.
“We are in for a busy night at the Copper Box in our first show of the year on February 10,” said promoter Frank Warren. “The main event speaks for itself, and I believe Hamzah Sheeraz and Liam Williams will deliver a captivating spectacle.
“The time has come for Sam Noakes to stake his claim at the top of the domestic scene, and we should be in for a cracking fight when he goes up against the undefeated English champion Lewis Sylvester, who will view this as his gateway to more big nights on a TV platform.
“The undercard is stacked, and fans can look forward to Anthony Yarde getting back into business in a 10-rounder before he returns to major title action a little further down the line. Pierce O’Leary and Masood Abdulah can also stake their claim to be part of headline fights over the course of this year.
“Our top prospects are also on parade, and I am particularly looking forward to seeing the rivalry between our knockout pair of cruiserweights, Tommy Fletcher and Aloys Jr, develop as they seek to out-do each other before, one day, they get to do it for real.”
Tickets for Sheeraz vs Williams on 10 February 2024 at the Copper Box Arena are on sale now available from ticketmaster.co.uk.