Lucky number seven: Ryan Walsh, an affinity for numbers, and Sam Noakes

Ryan Walsh has a new baby to fight for and a birthday celebration to preserve when on Saturday he challenges Sam Noakes for the British, Commonwealth and European lightweight titles.

It was shortly after he agreed to fight the champion, at Wembley Arena on the undercard of Brad Pauls-Denzel Bentley, that he learned that his partner Cara is pregnant with their sixth child.

By then he had already booked a holiday to Rome to celebrate Cara’s birthday, which is the day after Noakes-Walsh and the day before they fly to the Eternal City.

Walsh, 38, is even more encouraged by what he views as the numerology surrounding his life and Saturday’s contest as he is by the fact that as recently as September he required only a round to stop Reece Mould.

On December 7 he features on Queensberry Promotions’ Magnificent Seven. On July 7 – the seventh day of the seventh month – his and Cara’s baby is due. 

“I booked a trip for Rome,” he told BoxingScene. “The very next day we got a phone call [to fight] Sam, which then takes a week or two to confirm, and then a few days after confirming Sam, she’s telling me she’s pregnant. It’s a bit of a mad end to a really good year.

“It’s her birthday on the 8th, so I’ve never had so much pressure to win a fucking fight in my life. It’s her birthday the next day; we’re going to Rome the day after. It’s all in my hands, so I won’t risk ruining that – I’ll put on the best performance of my life, and get to walk around Rome like the hardest 9st 9lbs man there is.

“He or she is due July 7th – and I’m boxing on a Magnificent Seven show. Things align; things happen. I’ve had an affinity with [the number] seven probably since the first time I’ve seen [Manchester United’s] Eric Cantona. I’ve got sevens all over me. We’re designed to be obsessed with numbers, because it’s a pattern. She’s nearly nine weeks pregnant. 

“When I get to the Coliseum [in Rome, Italy], I wanna get to that Coliseum proudly knowing that at 9st 9lbs I’m the hardest man in Europe. That’s what I’ll be thinking. That’s what I’ll be telling my missus as well. Walking around with my chest out, saying that, ‘I am the best’. I’m starving to prove something to myself – Sam Noakes is giving me the opportunity to do that. The Reece Mould one has probably already gone under the radar. 

“I’ve got a new baby on the way; I’ve got five kids to feed. I’ve got a massive family, and I am starving. It’s not just for money; it’s not just for success. I’m pursuing my passion with every bit of my being, because this is who I am. If money didn’t exist I’d still wanna be doing this – I’d still wanna be fighting it out.”

The heavy-handed Noakes, 27 years old and undefeated in 15, is promoted by Queensberry and managed by Frank Warren’s son Francis. It is little secret that Walsh has been identified as the opponent suited to testing him without significantly derailing his progress, but Walsh said: “Sam’s been on my radar since – [Mark] Chamberlain’s another, and [Gavin] Gwynne – I’ve been throwing my name into the hat for all three of those fighters since the best part of 18 months. Fair play to Sam. I can only give his team and himself credit. 

“He’s a champion. He has a good style – he’s exciting. I want to mix it with the best lightweights in the country because I think I am the best lightweight in the country, and you can only prove that by beating the best lightweights. I’ve got an opportunity to express myself the best way I’ve found I can.

“A 97 per cent knockout rate suggests that he’s got very heavy hands. He’s exciting; he’s good to watch. He knocks people out. That’s what I’ve seen. There’s not a lot of footage, because of that. The most impressive thing I’ve seen of him is he punched [in April, Yvan] Mendy on the arms and wobbled him. That’s good power, that, if you can punch a man when he’s defending himself and still wobble him. Maybe [Mendy] was out of shape or his legs were gone, but I’m impressed with [Noakes’] style. 

“He’s young, he’s hungry, and he’s entertaining. He’s got one thing on his mind. He don’t even try to look pretty – he’s very crude, and he’s got one goal. I commend that, because it can be a risky business – going to knock someone out, you can be knocked out. He looks very, very strong.

“I’m not underestimating him at all. What I can take is the things I’ve prepared for in the past. I’ve prepared for a puncher in the past; I’ve prepared for an orthodox fighter in the past; I’ve prepared for fighters bigger than me in the past, so this is not a new experience. I’m of the opinion that he’s got the same basics. But so far in his career he hasn’t really needed much more than what he’s got.”