Denzel Bentley, the London‑based middleweight, has publicly appealed to the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to upgrade his status from interim champion to full world champion. Earlier this month, Bentley secured the WBO interim middleweight belt by stopping Endry Saavedra at the O2 Arena, a victory that has bolstered his claim for recognition.

The interim designation stems from the fact that the current WBO middleweight champion, Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, is serving a one‑year suspension after testing positive for a prohibited substance. Bentley believes that Alimkhanuly’s title should be vacated as part of his sanction, and that the vacant championship ought to be awarded to him, the interim holder. Bentley’s frustration is understandable. He previously faced Alimkhanuly in a 2022 world title bout that went the distance, giving him firsthand experience of the champion’s abilities.

Reflecting on the situation, Bentley told Sky Sports, "I don’t think Janibek has any credibility or any sort of leg to stand on to hold that title. He hasn’t defended the WBO belt against a mandatory challenger since he won it, which is about three or four years now, and now he’s failed a PED test." Having just captured the interim belt, Bentley feels the title should be his outright. He explained, "Now I’ve won it and it’s mine.

But on both our behalf, even with my opponent, in the future he should be able to say he’s fought for a world title, he’s a former world‑title challenger. He can’t say that, and if he had won he could say he’s a world champion.

He can’t say that because of the decisions the WBO have made." He added that the entire division is suffering because of one fighter’s misconduct: "The fighters in the division are all being punished for someone else’s actions. They should allow it to move on and let a new face emerge, making me work my way back up." Bentley’s camp is actively lobbying for the title upgrade, though the final decision remains uncertain. "I just hope the WBO sees what’s happening in the division and the people who are making noise. I feel it’s also up to the media and the fans to raise their voices.

We are not happy. We are the fans that contribute to the sport," Bentley said, emphasizing the broader community’s stake in the matter. He continued, "We’re not happy that someone who has failed a drug test is representing this sport as a champion. Maybe they can see it from that side." Bentley’s performance against Saavedra was a showcase of skill and determination.

The bout proved to be a hard‑fought contest, but Bentley broke through in the seventh round to secure the stoppage. "It feels good. I’d never boxed at the O2 before – that was my first time there," he remarked. "Endry is a tough, tough man.

He doesn’t get the credit he deserves because he’s not a big name, he doesn’t shout about it, he hasn’t really been seen much. But he’s an Olympian. I had limited amateur experience and I just stopped an Olympian." Bentley praised Saavedra’s physical strength and punching power, noting that he had to stay calm and wait for the right opening. "He was strong physically, he could punch as well.

So I knew I had to stay relaxed and bide my time, and when I found the opening, I had to step on it! Because if he had recovered it would have been a long night," he explained.

Recalling the fight’s pivotal moments, Bentley said, "I caught him at the end of the fourth and I thought ‘I’ve got you.’ The next round he put a beating on me and I thought, ‘Alright, cool, I can’t let him recover. Next time I hurt him.’ I knew it was close. He was getting more intense every round, and I realized I had to change something because he was going to take over.

I felt him trying to shift the momentum, so when I landed that shot I thought I can’t let him go now." Looking ahead, Bentley is eager for higher‑profile opportunities. "It would be an honour to be in a unification fight.

If I can get one of those, it’ll be great," he said. "But it would also be an honour to just be upgraded officially to a world champion, even though I see myself as that now because of the circumstances. Just to be officially one, that would be great." In summary, Denzel Bentley’s call for the WBO to recognize him as the full middleweight champion is rooted in both his recent interim title win and his belief that the current champion’s misconduct invalidates his claim to the belt.

As the boxing community watches, the outcome will influence not only Bentley’s career trajectory but also the integrity of the division’s championship hierarchy.