Sam Noakes believes his physicality will break down Abdullah Mason in Saturday’s WBO world lightweight title fight.
Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs), 28, from Maidstone in Kent, England, boxes for the vacant title against highly-rated 21-year-old Mason (19-0, 17 KOs), from Ohio, in Saudi Arabia.
Slick southpaw Mason is one of the most exciting young fighters in the sport today, and earlier this week was ranked No. 6 in ESPN’s Top 25 Under 25 in boxing.
Noakes, who used to work as a roofer, has gone the 12-round distance twice, while Mason has yet to go past Round 6 and the English boxer hopes his physicality will be decisive in the later rounds.
“I feel like it could not have been a better time for me to be fighting for a world title, he thinks it’s the right time for but unfortunately for him there’s only going to be one winner, and it won’t be him,” Noakes told ESPN.
“He’s not done 12 rounds but he’s been doing it in sparring in the gym and he will be confident he can do it in the ring, so I’m not looking at that. This is a world title fight and we both know the opportunities that could come from winning.
“He’s actually had more fights than I have but I think my physicality will come into play in the later rounds. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good fighter and he’s very technical, very quick. I know he’s been down [ vs. Yoan Vasquez in a Round 2 KO win a year ago] but he still came back to win that fight. I like to break my opponents down so we will see what he’s like in the later rounds.”
