This weekend, Sam Noakes steps into the ring for the biggest fight of his life, a world title bout a world away from his humble beginnings flipping burgers in Kent.
From Fast Food to The Big Fight
Tonight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the undefeated British fighter challenges American prodigy Abdullah Mason for the WBO World Lightweight Title. The event, part of the 'Ring IV: Night of the Champions' at the Boulevard Riyadh City Square, marks Noakes' first shot at a world championship.
Reflecting on his journey, Noakes revealed he could have been working at McDonald's this weekend instead of fighting for a world title. "I left school and went to college and then when I left I thought I would work in McDonald's," he said. "I did a trial shift and didn't go back; they still owe me the £16 or whatever it was for the four hours I did there!"
He described the uniform as a "horrible mustard-coloured top and green trousers" and admitted the prospect of friends seeing him in the outfit was too much to bear. His ambition was initially to work at Tesco, but after being turned down, he briefly tried a call centre before ending up in roofing.
A Dream Realised in the Ring
Noakes' life changed when he decided to pursue boxing professionally. "When I first turned over I stopped working because my dream was to turn pro and to call myself a professional athlete," he explained. While the Covid-19 pandemic created uncertainty the year after he turned professional, a crucial sponsorship deal allowed him to focus fully on his craft.
"I was lucky that I had a good sponsor," Noakes recalled. "I went to him with a figure and he laughed it off and said we could do better than that. I showed him my bills I had to pay to live every week and asked if he could do that and he said yeah."
The Championship Showdown
Standing between Noakes and the world title is the highly-touted 21-year-old American Abdullah Mason, who also boasts an unblemished record. The fight represents a classic clash of styles and backgrounds, pitting Noakes' hard-earned, blue-collar journey against Mason's status as one of America's most promising future stars.
The face-off between the two fighters took place on November 21, 2025, setting the stage for a compelling contest. For Noakes, tonight is the culmination of a journey that nearly took a very different path, proving that sometimes the greatest successes come from walking away from a job that doesn't fit.
