Middleweight world champion Denzel Bentley has secured a multi‑fight agreement with Zuffa Boxing and is slated to compete on November 7 at London’s Copper Box Arena, with the bout being broadcast live on Sky Sports. The British fighter from Battersea will square off against the talented American middleweight Shane Mosley Jr. as part of the stacked ZUFFA BOXING 12 card, which is headlined by the clash between Chris Billam‑Smith and Cheavon Clarke. Tickets for the event are currently on sale through Ticketmaster, and demand is already high as fans anticipate a night of high‑octane action.
Bentley, a world‑class middleweight, captured the WBO title after a gritty victory over Endry Saavedra at the O2 Arena in April. In that fight, Bentley weathered a fierce assault from the dangerous Venezuelan opponent before delivering a decisive seventh‑round finish, a performance that elevated his interim title to full championship status.
Bentley’s journey to the top has been anything but straightforward. The former British champion suffered an early setback when he fell short in his first world‑title attempt against Zhanibek Alimkhanuly.
He rebounded from a surprising defeat to Nathan Heaney by stringing together wins over Danny Dignum, Derrick Osaze and Brad Pauls, ultimately earning his shot at Saavedra. Reflecting on his achievement, Bentley told Sky Sports, “That’s an achievement ticked off, that’s one of my goals.
I can leave the sport knowing that I was a world champion. But now it’s time to try and achieve more and raise my potential. I don’t think many people tipped me to be a world champion when I first started.” He added, “I didn’t really know if I could even get a chance to compete for one rather than actually win one. It’s the highest accolade in the sport so you have to do a lot to get there but I just bit down and went through the process and made it there.” Mosley Jr., the son of former boxing great Shane Mosley, comes into the fight with considerable pedigree and recent momentum.
He recently stopped the strong Ukrainian contender Serhii Bohachuk in six rounds in Las Vegas, showcasing his power and technical skill. Mosley Jr.
has already tested himself against elite competition, having defeated former world champion Daniel Jacobs and narrowly missing a WBC interim title after a bout with Jesus Alejandro Ramos last year. The Zuffa Boxing 12 event will feature a full undercard of promising talent.
British cruiserweight prospect Lucas Roehrig (9‑0, 5 KOs) will meet Scotland’s Connal McDonald (5‑1, 1 KO) in an eight‑rounder. Scottish middleweight phenom Sam Hickey (6‑0, 3 KOs) aims for his third consecutive knockout against Troy "The Hawk" Coleman (15‑5‑1, 7 KOs), building on his spectacular seventh‑round stoppage of Brad Axe at Zuffa Boxing 10 in Dublin. American heavyweight Da'Mazion Vanhouter (13‑0, 10 KOs) makes his UK debut against the hard‑hitting Ivan Balaz (9‑1, 7 KOs), while rising super‑lightweight Kayla Allen, who turned professional at the Copper Box Arena last Saturday, will contest her second pro fight in a six‑round bout against an opponent yet to be announced. While Mosley Jr.
is not Bentley’s mandatory challenger, he holds a respectable No. 6 ranking in the WBO middleweight standings. Bentley emphasized his readiness, stating to Sky Sports News, “I’m very game. I like to have a fight.
I’ve got a very good knockout ratio, you can expect knockouts. Most importantly I am still currently the WBO middleweight champion.” He also addressed recent rumors about a possible title stripping, noting that his team has lodged an appeal which is currently under review.
“I know everything that’s gone on online and all the rumours that he could be stripped of the belt. My team has put in an appeal, that appeal has gone through. We are hoping that we can get through this appeal and we get to defend this WBO title against a game, ranked opponent too,” Bentley explained. Bentley also praised Mosley Jr.’s motivation, saying, “The son of a legend, he’s there with a chip on his shoulder, trying to prove everyone wrong who believes he can’t be as successful as his dad.
So he’s very dangerous. He’s got real motivation and he’s going to come in there and put on a great fight.” The winner of the Bentley‑Mosley Jr. showdown could unlock further opportunities in the division. Aaron McKenna, who recently captured the IBF title by defeating Etinosa Oliha, is mentioned as a potential future opponent for Bentley.
“I think me and Aaron, the winner of that will be the No 1 in the division,” Bentley said. “If we are the ones making a noise in this division, you can’t help make the winner of that fight No 1, rather than looking at Carlos Adames or Erislandy Lara and looking at their past performances and what they’ve done in the past and using that to make them No 1. We can put the middleweight division back on the map.” Fans can watch the fight live on Sky Sports on November 7, and tickets for ZUFFA BOXING 12 remain available via Ticketmaster.
The event promises a night of compelling narratives, from Bentley’s quest to cement his legacy to Mosley Jr.’s drive to step out of his father’s shadow, all set against a backdrop of rising British and international talent eager to make their mark on the sport.