Frank Warren believes that an explosive clash between unbeaten lightweights Sam Noakes and Mark Chamberlain is getting bigger with every passing month.
In April, Noakes, 14-0 (13 KOs), comfortably outboxed quality French veteran, Yvan Mendy, to add the European title to his British and Commonwealth belts, turning what appeared to be a calculated gamble into a 12-round procession.
Noakes’ record of having stopped every professional opponent may have come to an end but he appeared to box well within himself and although he wasn’t forced to work at an uncomfortable pace, the confidence that he will have gained from completing the championship distance will stand him in good stead for more testing nights against younger, hungrier opposition.
Noakes, 27, will be looking to start another run of knockouts when he makes the first defense of his belt against Italy’s Gianluca Cegila on September 6.
“The last fight, I genuinely feel that he could have stopped his opponent,” Warren told Queensberry. “But that was a really good win for him, and he showed another side of his ability and his great boxing brain that he’s got. He boxed extremely well.
“He’s a lovely guy as well. He’s one of the guys that we all like at Queensberry and there are some big fights to be made for him down the road. Him and Mark Chamberlain is a fight that I’m sure over the next 12 months is going to build into being a monster.
“He’s a top 10-rated fighter and he’s going places. He’s a really nice guy to work with and he gets it. I do think he’s capable of winning a world title. I really do think and believe that.”
Given the way both fighters go about their business, a meeting between Noakes and Chamberlain, 16-0 (12 KOs), would already guarantee fireworks but, as time goes by, it is looking increasingly likely that it will be a fight which will have major ramifications on the world scene when it does eventually take place.
The lightweight division is extremely top heavy but if both fighters can continue to win, at least one of them will put themselves into position to challenge for a major belt before too long.
Noakes sits at number five in the WBO lightweight rankings while the WBC have him positioned at number 11. Chamberlain’s star has risen even more quickly due to the exposure he has received from fighting on a series of Riyadh Season cards, and he holds top 10 rankings with the WBO, WBC and the IBF.
“I think it’ll happen in the next 12 months. What I’d like it to be is for a world title fight,” Warren said.” They’re there to be able to go and do it, both of them. It’d be nice if they could both win a world title and then have a unification. That’d be my dream.”