Denzel Bentley’s time as WBO middleweight champion, which lasted 102 days, came to an unexpected halt last Friday when the WBO officially stripped him of the title. After being elevated to full champion in July—following Janibek Alimkhanuly’s move to super middleweight—the WBO initially allowed Bentley a voluntary title defense. However, the organization later accepted Yoenli Hernandez’s request to enforce his mandatory challenger status immediately.
Bentley expressed on Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show” that he believes the decision to deny him a voluntary defense was influenced by his move from Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions to Zuffa Boxing. He feels this switch led the WBO to reconsider its earlier statement by president Gustavo Olivieri promising a voluntary defense, especially since he was preparing to fight Shane Mosley Jr., ranked No. 6 by the WBO, which could have served as a solid voluntary defense. Bentley criticized the WBO for stripping his title without clear justification, pointing out that he had paid his sanctioning fees like any other champion and was not treated with the respect he deserved.
According to the WBO’s official statement, when Bentley was promoted to full champion on July 20, they reserved the right to decide if he needed to face a mandatory challenger or could take a voluntary defense first. Queensberry Promotions had planned for Bentley to defend his title against Liam Smith on November 7 in Liverpool, approved by the WBO as a voluntary defense. However, after the fight fell through and Bentley failed to seek permission for an alternative bout, the WBO enforced the mandatory challenge. Olivieri confirmed that Bentley has filed another appeal disputing the WBO’s decision, while Hernandez has been ordered to face Michael Zerafa for the now-vacant title.
Given Zuffa Boxing’s earlier criticism of boxing’s sanctioning bodies, one might have assumed they would be pleased to avoid WBO involvement, but Bentley believes otherwise. He explained that Zuffa preferred him to hold the title during their shows to boost their appeal, though his management was primarily responsible for handling the situation with the WBO. The dispute began before Bentley officially signed with Zuffa, so there was little they could do until everything was finalized.
Bentley ended his seven-year partnership with Queensberry shortly after becoming full champion, citing frustration with inactivity and a lack of prioritization. Although he had not been under a formal contract in recent years—operating instead on a handshake deal managed by Martin Bowers—Bentley was unhappy with his limited fight schedule. He revealed he went 16 months without fighting before April’s last bout and was promised a world title shot after defeating a top contender, but those promises remained unfulfilled. During this period, he even considered becoming an Amazon delivery driver to support himself, but local opportunities were unavailable.
This situation highlights the financial struggles of even top contenders in boxing, contradicting the belief that fighters are always well-compensated. Bentley criticized Queensberry for offering him fights with conditions he found unfavorable, such as defending his title in an opponent’s hometown without a fair share of the purse. This dissatisfaction spurred his search for new promoters who would better value him and his career.
Bentley talked with several promoters, including Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, which offered a title defense bout against Hernandez in Ghana. However, that offer came after Bentley had accepted a better deal with Zuffa Boxing. He is set to make his debut under Zuffa’s banner against Shane Mosley Jr. in the co-main event of Zuffa Boxing 12 in London this Saturday.
Fan Take: This development underscores the often complicated and political nature of boxing’s sanctioning bodies and promotional alliances, which can drastically affect a fighter’s career. For fans, Bentley’s story highlights the need for greater transparency and fairness in title defenses, as well as how promotional conflicts can unfairly disrupt deserving champions’ careers.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
