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 London’s Copper Box Arena, with the bout being shown live on Sky Sports. The British fighter from Battersea will meet the talented American middleweight Shane Mosley Jr. as part of the stacked ZUFFA BOXING 12 card, which is headlined by the showdown between Chris Billam‑Smith and Cheavon Clarke. Tickets for the event are now 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 triumph over Endry Saavedra at the O2 Arena in April. In that fight, Bentley weathered a fierce challenge before delivering a decisive stoppage in the seventh round, a performance that upgraded his interim belt to the full world championship.
Bentley’s path to the top has not been without setbacks. A former British champion, he suffered his first world‑title defeat when he faced Zhanibek Alimkhanuly. He rebounded from an unexpected loss to Nathan Heaney by stringing together victories over Danny Dignum, Derrick Osaze and Brad Pauls, ultimately earning his shot at Saavedra. Reflecting on his journey, 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, arrives in London riding a wave of confidence after a dominant six‑round victory over Ukrainian contender Serhii Bohachuk in Las Vegas. The younger Mosley has already tested himself against elite opposition, having defeated former world champion Daniel Jacobs and narrowly missing out on the WBC interim title in a bout with Jesus Alejandro Ramos last year. His lineage and recent performances suggest he will bring a chip on his shoulder, eager to prove he can match or exceed his father’s legacy. The ZUFFA BOXING 12 event will feature a variety of other compelling match‑ups.
British cruiserweight prospect Lucas Roehrig (9‑0, 5 KOs) will take on Scotland’s Connal McDonald (5‑1, 1 KO) in an eight‑rounder, while Scottish middleweight sensation Sam Hickey (6‑0, 3 KOs) seeks his third straight knockout against Troy "The Hawk" Coleman (15‑5‑1, 7 KOs). Hickey comes off a spectacular seventh‑round stoppage of Brad Axe at Zuffa Boxing 10 in Dublin.
In the heavyweight division, unbeaten American Da'Mazion Vanhouter (13‑0, 10 KOs) makes his UK debut against the powerful Ivan Balaz (9‑1, 7 KOs), boasting six first‑round knockouts in his last seven fights. Additionally, super‑lightweight prospect Kayla Allen, who turned professional last Saturday at the Copper Box Arena, will return for a second bout in a six‑rounder, with her opponent yet to be announced. While Mosley Jr. is not Bentley’s mandatory challenger, he holds a respectable No.
6 ranking with the WBO, making the contest a legitimate test for the champion. 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 speculation about his title status, noting, “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.” Bentley further described his opponent, 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 stakes extend beyond the immediate bout.
A victory for Bentley could set up a showdown with rising contender Aaron McKenna, who recently captured the IBF middleweight title by defeating Etinosa Oliha. Bentley acknowledged the potential matchup, remarking, “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.” He added, “We can put the middleweight division back on the map.” Fans can watch the Bentley versus Mosley Jr. clash live on Sky Sports on November 7, and tickets for ZUFFA BOXING 12 remain available via Ticketmaster. The event promises a night of high‑stakes boxing, with the potential to reshape the middleweight landscape and deliver memorable moments for both seasoned followers and newcomers to the sport.