From supermarket job snub to the 'Kent Golovkin'

Some boxers are conscionable trim from a different cloth.

A British, Commonwealth and European champion, Maidstone lightweight Sam Noakes is edging person to world honours.

With 13 knockouts successful 14 wins, nan 27-year-old boasts an almost cleanable record, but erstwhile a changeable astatine a world-title does coming itself, Noakes will not beryllium searching for an easy ride.

"I cognize it sounds silly, but I wouldn't mind having a mates of achromatic eyes, possibly moreover getting dropped, past coming backmost to win," he tells BBC Sport.

"I want it to beryllium for illustration a Rocky film."

Noakes will make a first defence of his European title against Italian Gianluca Ceglia astatine York Hall connected Saturday.

"Hopefully adjacent twelvemonth I'll person a ace astatine a world title," he adds. "We've sewage to conscionable support winning."

Noakes' finishing expertise has earned him nan nickname 'The Kent Golovkin', aft Kazakhstani knockout master Gennady.

Promoter Frank Warren is tipping Noakes arsenic a early world champion, but it could person each been truthful different.

After leaving school, Noakes dropped retired of assemblage and worked for short spells astatine a well-known accelerated nutrient edifice and a telephone centre.

He was "gutted" to person not been offered a occupation moving astatine a supermarket elephantine but soon recovered his calling arsenic a roofer.

Boxing was ne'er really a viable profession choice.

"I planned to discontinue boxing arsenic a inferior astatine 16 but I ne'er did stop, and erstwhile I sewage to 19 aliases 20 I realised I could person a bully ace astatine this," he says.

"I started doing nan training and weight right. Within 2 years of maine putting my caput down, I won a nationalist title and past signed pinch Frank Warren."

The lightweight section is packed pinch talent and Noakes is acutely alert of nan trouble successful winning a world title.

American Gervonta 'Tank' Davis is nan WBA world champion, pinch compatriot Shakur Stevenson nan WBC title holder.

The IBF and WBO belts are held by Ukrainian duo Vasiliy Lomachenko and Denys Berinchyk respectively.

"It's a very packed section but that intends much group will watch it and beryllium willing successful it," Noakes says.

Noakes' older brother, 29-year-old welterweight Sean, is besides an undefeated pro pinch 8 wins.

The brace thrust each different to weigh-ins and media days during conflict week, but nan journeys whitethorn soon go a small tricky.

Noakes, who has only ever fought successful London arsenic a pro, is eyeing up lucrative bouts successful Saudi Arabia and says Portsmouth's Mark Chamberlain is simply a imaginable opponent.

Chamberlain boasts 12 knockouts successful 16 wins and has go a patient favourite of influential Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh.

"I've said galore times I'm fresh for that conflict to beryllium made. I'm up for it whenever he wants it to happen," Noakes says.

"It's only a matter of clip earlier I conflict successful Saudi. All I tin do complete present is support winning and beating whoever they put successful beforehand of maine successful style, and it's inevitability going to happen."

Saudi Arabia has poured millions into boxing successful caller years and continues to look accusations of sportswashing and disapproval of their quality authorities record.

Their power has dispersed extracurricular nan Kingdom, pinch Saudi backing Daniel Dubois v Anthony Joshua astatine Wembley connected 21 September, and Chamberlain connected nan undercard.