Sam Noakes Reportedly Targets Denys Berinchyk in August 29 Return

The former WBO lightweight champion is reportedly in line to face Noakes at The O2 as the British contender attempts to rebuild after his first professional defeat

Sam Noakes is reportedly set to face former WBO lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk on August 29 at The O2 in London. If confirmed, the matchup would give Noakes an experienced former titleholder as he attempts to rebuild after his loss to Abdullah Mason.

According to BoxingScene, former WBO lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk is the leading candidate to face Noakes in the co-feature on the August 29 card at London’s O2 Arena, headlined by the heavyweight clash between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic. The matchup has not been officially announced.

Noakes (18-1, 16 KOs) is looking to rebound from the first defeat of his professional career after dropping a competitive decision to Abdullah Mason last November in Saudi Arabia. The entertaining contest earned Fight of the Year consideration, but it also halted the momentum the 28-year-old had built toward a world title shot.

He returned in May for a low-risk outing, stopping Benito Sanchez Garcia in two rounds at York Hall.

Berinchyk (19-1, 9 KOs) would represent a step up from that assignment, although he’s hardly entering the fight with momentum of his own. The 38-year-old Ukrainian hasn’t fought since suffering a fourth-round stoppage loss to Keyshawn Davis on February 14, 2025, when he lost the WBO lightweight title.

While Berinchyk’s experience and former world champion status add credibility to the matchup, both fighters are coming off losses, taking some of the shine off what otherwise could have been an intriguing lightweight clash.

From a matchmaking standpoint, however, the fight makes sense. Berinchyk offers Noakes a respected name without the risk that comes with facing one of the division’s younger contenders. A matchup against an unbeaten prospect such as Alan Chaves may have generated more interest, but it also would have posed a far more dangerous assignment for a fighter trying to rebuild after his first professional setback.

If the fight is finalized, it would serve as a solid keep-busy bout for Noakes while giving him the chance to put himself back in the lightweight conversation with a victory over a former world champion.

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