Sam Noakes’ former coach at Westree ABC Lee Owen says British lightweight champion has ‘sickening’ power and the skillset to beat the top fighters in his division

The former amateur coach of Maidstone boxer Sam Noakes has told of the new British champion’s “sickening” power.

Lee Owen worked with Noakes at Westree ABC and is thrilled to see his success in the professional ranks.

The 26-year-old has won all 13 fights by stoppage and holds four belts in the lightweight division.

He enhanced his reputation last month by stopping fellow unbeaten boxer Lewis Sylvester in four rounds to add British and WBO International titles to WBC International Silver and Commonwealth crowns.

Noakes, nicknamed Midge, puts on a show every time he steps into the ring and there’s talk of a world title shot in the next 12 months.

Owen knows him better than most and has described the power that has seen the former roofer make such an impression.

“He’s got a consistency with his power,” said Owen, who worked as Noakes’ main coach for the final years of his amateur career, helping him to ABA glory and Tri Nations success with England before he joined Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions stable.

“He does hit hard, very hard, but sometimes boxers have that one-punch explosive knockout, whereas with Midge, he grinds opponents down with a consistent power. It’s sickening.

“It steals their soul. It keeps coming. It’s a horrible, sickening power.

“If you got a few lads to hit a punchball as hard as they could, there probably wouldn’t be a lot in it for a single punch.

“But if you got Midge to hit the thing 100 times in a row he’d leave them all for dead because he’d keep hitting it as hard as he did the first time, and his engine is absolutely ridiculous as well.

“He’s like a bulldozer but don’t underestimate his boxing IQ because he’s a very intelligent boxer in the way he delivers pressure and gets his shots