Sam Noakes has made it clear he would welcome a world-title opportunity against William Zepeda if the chance comes up, but the 29-year-old must first get past Denys Berinchyk on Saturday evening.
Noakes is highly rated by the WBO and also sits at No.4 in the WBC rankings, which puts him firmly in the mix if he keeps winning. That is the key point here: the road to a major fight is open, but only if he handles the immediate test in front of him.
Asked about the Zepeda fight, Noakes did not hide his interest. “I tell you what, me and him would be one hell of a fight, wouldn’t it? If it comes up, we’d definitely take that fight,” he said.
It is an honest assessment from a fighter who knows exactly where he stands. Noakes is a high-output pressure boxer, and that style brings rewards because he forces opponents into a tough pace. It also comes with risk, because he can take punishment while trying to land his own shots.
Why Noakes is in the title conversation
The ranking picture matters. Noakes is already well placed with the WBO and carries that No.4 WBC ranking, which means he is not a long way away from a meaningful world-title shot if results keep going his way.
That is why Saturday evening matters so much. A win over Berinchyk would strengthen the case that he belongs in the frame for bigger fights, while defeat would slow that momentum and leave the next step less certain.
For now, Noakes is keeping the focus simple: win the next one, then see where the road leads. That approach makes sense for a fighter who has already learned how hard the top level can be.
The lesson from Abdullah Mason
In November, Noakes lost a fiercely-contested unanimous decision to Abdullah Mason, and he has been honest about what that fight taught him. He said after the bout that he must win next time he is involved in a gruelling 12-rounder.
Noakes admitted he came out of the contest looking badly beaten, even if the fight was close. “I looked like I’d got a hiding, but it was obviously a close fight,” he said. He also praised Mason, adding: “But credit to Abdullah Mason – the kid can fight.”
There was no hiding from the physical and mental cost of that night. Noakes also revealed how the aftermath felt in Saudi Arabia, saying: “I was walking through the airport [in Saudi Arabia] and everyone kept looking at me.”
He added that he did not want to talk about it at the time, which tells you plenty about how much the defeat stayed with him. But he is not framing it as a setback that changed his ambitions.
What comes next
Noakes believes he had to be at his absolute best to compete in that kind of fight. “For that fight, I had to be the fittest and strongest I’d ever been – and I did get to that stage. I just came up short,” he said.
He also felt Mason was tougher than expected, saying: “He was a bit more durable than I’d expected.” And he explained the tactic clearly: “The plan was to keep a high work rate and see if he’d fade down the backstretch.”
That context makes Saturday’s bout with Berinchyk even more important. Noakes knows his style, his rankings and his ambition can carry him into a world-title conversation, but only if he keeps winning. If he does, a fight with Zepeda could quickly move from possibility to reality.
