London - Sam Noakes (13-0, 13 KO’s) is the new British lightweight champion after stopping Hull’s Lewis Sylvester (13-1, 4 KO’s) in five one sided rounds. Noakes was extremely impressive and maintained his record of having stopped every professional he has faced. 

Former champion Gavin Gwynne gave up the Lonsdale belt to move ahead with a defence of his European title against Mark Chamberlain on the undercard of the fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou next month. Noakes put himself directly in line for a fight with the winner with a dominant, brutal display.

Sylvester is a capable, slick switch hitter but it didn’t take long for Noakes to begin creeping closer and he began to walk through Sylvester’s shots and into punching range. A right hand over the top was the best shot of the opening round. 

Sylvester knew exactly what he had to do and tried hard to do it but he just couldn’t land anything to make Noakes think twice about walking forward and found it harder and harder to stand up to Noakes’ relentless attacks.

The pressure finally told and a left hook to the body dropped him to a knee early in the third round. He just about beat the count but touched down again moments later after another Noakes left landed in the same spot. A finish looked inevitable but to his credit, Sylvester bit down and survived the round.

He didn’t make it through the fourth. Noakes piled on the pressure, pinned the previous unbeaten Sylvester on the ropes and battered him to the canvas. The towel correctly came in to save him from further punishment at 2.10 of the round. 

The 26-year-old from Maidstone is a rough, tough fighter and will prove to be a handful for any fighter unable to dissuade him from coming forward. He bullied Sylvester tonight.