Denzel Bentley’s WBO middleweight championship reign, a short 102 days, just slammed to a halt last Friday when the WBO officially stripped him of his title. And Bentley is not mincing words: he believes the entire shocking turn of events boils down to his decision to leave Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and sign with Zuffa Boxing.
Bentley’s Belt Gone, And He Points to a Bigger Game
Bentley was elevated to full champion back in July, stepping up after Janibek Alimkhanuly moved on to super middleweight. The WBO initially seemed ready to grant Bentley a voluntary defense, which is pretty standard stuff. Then, out of nowhere, they sided with top contender Yoenli Hernandez, enforcing his mandatory position immediately. Bentley, speaking on Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show,” laid it all out. “I can’t say for certain, but that’s what I think,” he stated, referring to his promotional switch as the reason for the denied voluntary defense. “That’s how I feel, because there was no other reason for that statement [WBO president Gustavo Olivieri] put out to be retracted.” He’s convinced this was pure politics.
Think about it: WBO president Gustavo Olivieri had apparently said Bentley would get a voluntary defense before the end of the year. Bentley had Shane Mosley Jr., ranked No. 6 with the WBO, lined up as a solid opponent for just such a defense. And get this: Hernandez, the guy whose mandatory position got enforced, can’t even fight for the title until next year! “You’ve just taken the title from me for no reason,” Bentley fumed. “I pay my sanctioning fee like everyone else, but in this instance I didn’t feel like I was treated like the champion.” This is the kind of backroom maneuvering that leaves you shaking your head.
The WBO’s Stance and What Happens Next
Now, the WBO’s official resolution states that when they elevated Bentley to full champ on July 20, they expressly reserved the right to decide between a mandatory or voluntary defense. His old promoter, Queensberry, had planned a fight for Bentley against Liam Smith on November 7 in Liverpool, which the WBO approved as a voluntary defense. But that bout never materialized, and Bentley didn’t ask for an alternative, so the WBO enforced the mandatory commitment.
This whole saga is far from over. Olivieri confirmed that Bentley has filed *another* appeal against the WBO’s decision to strip him. Meanwhile, Hernandez has been ordered to fight Australia’s Michael Zerafa for that now-vacant middleweight belt. It’s wild to think Zuffa Boxing’s initial stance was against boxing’s sanctioning bodies, but Bentley himself said Zuffa preferred him to have the title on the show. His team was handling most of the WBO communication, though. The bottom line? Denzel Bentley lost his WBO title without ever getting a single title defense in the ring. He ended a seven-year run with Queensberry, and now he’s without his belt, feeling like he got played. What a mess.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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