Denzel Bentley, the London‑born middleweight, has publicly appealed to the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to upgrade his current interim title to a full world championship. Earlier this month, Bentley secured the WBO interim middleweight belt by stopping Endry Saavedra at the O2 Arena, a victory that has reignited the debate over the rightful holder of the division’s top prize.
The interim status exists because the reigning WBO middleweight champion, Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, is serving a one‑year suspension after testing positive for a prohibited substance. Bentley argues that Alimkhanuly’s sanction should include the stripping of his world title, thereby allowing the interim champion to be recognized as the legitimate WBO middleweight champion. Bentley’s frustration is understandable.
He previously faced Alimkhanuly in a 2022 world title bout that went the distance, and the experience left him with a clear view of the Kazakh’s capabilities. Speaking to Sky Sports, Bentley said, "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 – that’s three or four years now – and now he’s failed a PED test." Having just added the interim belt to his résumé, Bentley feels the WBO’s decision will affect not only his own career but also the entire division. "Now I’ve won it [the interim belt] 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 because of the decisions the WBO have made," he explained.
"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, letting him work his way back up." Bentley’s camp is actively lobbying for the title upgrade, though the outcome remains uncertain. The boxer emphasized the role of fans and media in applying pressure: "I just hope the WBO sees what’s happening in the division and the people that are making noise.
I feel like it’s also up to the media and the fans to make noise as well. We are not happy. We are the fans that contribute to the sport." He added a moral dimension to the argument: "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 fight was hard‑fought, but Bentley managed to break through in the seventh round, delivering the decisive blow that forced the stoppage. Reflecting on the win, he said, "It feels good.
I’d never boxed at the O2 before; that was my first time as well. 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." He praised Saavedra’s physical strength and punching power, noting that staying relaxed and patient was key to his strategy. "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," Bentley recalled. Describing the 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.
I just knew that he was getting more intense every round and I thought, ‘Okay, I’ve got to change something here because he’s going to take over.’ I felt him trying to shift the momentum of the fight. So when I caught him with that shot I thought I can’t let him go now." Looking ahead, Bentley is eager for higher‑profile opportunities. He expressed enthusiasm for a potential unification bout, stating, "It would be an honour to be in a unification fight. If I can get one of those, it’ll be great." At the same time, he emphasized that an official promotion to full champion would be a significant personal milestone: "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 request to the WBO reflects both a personal ambition and a broader concern for fairness within the middleweight division. With the current champion under suspension for a doping violation, the interim titleholder believes the logical step is to recognize him as the undisputed champion, thereby restoring credibility to the belt and allowing the division to move forward without the shadow of controversy.