Middleweight world champion Denzel Bentley has secured a multi‑fight agreement with Zuffa Boxing and is slated to step into the ring on November 7 at the Copper Box Arena, with the bout being shown live on Sky Sports. The British fighter from Battersea will face American middleweight prospect Shane Mosley Jr.
as part of the action‑packed ZUFFA BOXING 12 card, which is headlined by the showdown between Chris Billam‑Smith and Cheavon Clarke. Tickets for the event are on sale now through Ticketmaster, and fans are being urged to book early to guarantee a seat at what promises to be a memorable night of boxing. Bentley, a world‑class middleweight, captured the WBO title after a gritty victory over Endry Saavedra at London’s O2 Arena in April. In that fight he weathered a tough early exchange before delivering a decisive seventh‑round stoppage that saw the Venezuelan challenger knocked out cold.
The win initially earned Bentley the interim version of the belt, which was later upgraded to the full world championship when the previous holder vacated the title. Bentley’s path to the top has not been straightforward.
After a successful run as a British champion, he suffered a setback in his first world‑title attempt against Kazakhstan’s Zhanibek Alimkhanuly. He rebounded from a surprising defeat to Nathan Heaney by stringing together victories over Danny Dignum, Derrick Osaze and Brad Pauls, ultimately earning the right to challenge Saavedra for the world crown.
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 world‑champion Shane Mosley, comes into the fight riding a wave of momentum after a dominant six‑round victory over Ukrainian contender Serhii Bohachuk in Las Vegas.
The younger Mosley has already tested himself against top‑level opposition, including a win over former world champion Daniel Jacobs and a close contest for the WBC interim title against Jesus Alejandro Ramos last year. The fight will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, and viewers are advised to use the Chrome browser for the most reliable video player experience. The ZUFFA BOXING 12 card features several other intriguing match‑ups. British cruiserweight hopeful Lucas Roehrig (9‑0, 5 KOs) will meet Scotland’s Connal McDonald (5‑1, 1 KO) in an eight‑round bout.
Scottish middleweight phenom Sam Hickey (6‑0, 3 KOs) seeks his third consecutive knockout as he faces Troy “The Hawk” Coleman (15‑5‑1, 7 KOs) in another eight‑rounder. Hickey comes off a 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 hard‑hitting Ivan Balaz (9‑1, 7 KOs) in an eight‑round clash. The 21‑year‑old Vanhouter boasts six first‑round knockouts in his last seven fights, underscoring his reputation as a dangerous puncher.
Super‑lightweight prospect Kayla Allen, who turned professional last Saturday at the Copper Box Arena, is scheduled for her second pro fight in the same venue, with her opponent yet to be announced for a six‑round contest. Additional details about the event will be released in the coming weeks, but one thing is clear: while Mosley Jr.
is not Bentley’s mandatory challenger, he is ranked No. 6 by the WBO and presents a credible test. Bentley commented 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. I know everything that’s gone on online and all the rumours that I 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.” He continued, “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.
encounter could unlock further opportunities. Aaron McKenna, who recently captured the IBF middleweight title by defeating Etinosa Oliha, has been mentioned as a potential future opponent for Bentley should he emerge victorious on November 7.
Bentley explained his ambitions, “I think me and Aaron, the winner of that will be the No 1 in the division. If we are the ones making a noise in this division, you can’t help but make the winner of that fight No 1, rather than looking at Carlos Adames or Erislandy Lara and using their past performances to rank them. We can put the middleweight division back on the map.” Fans can watch the Bentley versus Mosley Jr. showdown live on Sky Sports on November 7, and tickets for ZUFFA BOXING 12 remain available via Ticketmaster.
The event promises a night of high‑octane action, with the headline bout, undercard fights, and the potential reshaping of the middleweight landscape all adding to the excitement.