Some boxers are just cut from a different cloth.
A British, Commonwealth and European champion, Maidstone lightweight Sam Noakes is edging closer to world honours.
With 13 knockouts in 14 wins, the 27-year-old boasts an almost perfect record, but when a shot at a world-title does present itself, Noakes will not be searching for an easy ride.
“I know it sounds silly, but I wouldn’t mind having a couple of black eyes, maybe even getting dropped, then coming back to win,” he tells BBC Sport.
“I want it to be like a Rocky film.”
Noakes will make a first defence of his European title against Italian Gianluca Ceglia at York Hall on Friday.
“Hopefully next year I’ll have a crack at a world title,” he adds. “We’ve got to just keep winning.”
‘I planned to quit boxing at 16’
Noakes’ finishing ability has earned him the nickname ‘The Kent Golovkin’, after Kazakhstani knockout specialist Gennady.
Promoter Frank Warren is tipping Noakes as a future world champion, but it could have all been so different.
After leaving school, Noakes dropped out of college and worked for short spells at a well-known fast food restaurant and a call centre.
He was “gutted” to have not been offered a job working at a supermarket giant but soon found his calling as a roofer.
Boxing was never really a viable career choice.
“I planned to quit boxing as a junior at 16 but I never did stop, and when I got to 19 or 20 I realised I could have a good crack at this,” he says.
“I started doing the training and weight right. Within two years of me putting my head down, I won a national title and then signed with Frank Warren.”
