Denzel Bentley’s route through boxing has never been smooth.
The Battersea fighter is smarting from the WBO stripping him of his hard-won middleweight world title, but has to focus on a dangerous bout with Shane Mosley Jr on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Bentley fights Mosley Jr on the Zuffa Boxing 12 bill, headlined by Chris Billam-Smith vs Cheavon Clarke.
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Chev Clarke refuses to shake Chris Billam-Smith’s hand ahead of their Zuffa Boxing 12 main event this Saturday
The WBO required Bentley to box his mandatory challenger, Yoenli Hernandez next. It was a fight Bentley was willing to take, but he had committed to fighting Mosley Jr, which he wanted to do as a voluntary defence or even a non-title bout.
“We put up a really good case and everything we mentioned was kind of ignored,” Bentley told Sky Sports. “The reasons as to why they stripped me are their reasons.
“[WBC middleweight champion Carlos] Adames is able to do a non-title fight and box.
“I was happy to fight Hernandez next year,” he added. “They just want to seem like they’re doing justice, but they’re not.”
The son of boxing legend Shane Mosley, Junior is coming off a tremendous stoppage victory over Serhii Bohachuk. He is also rated No 6 in the WBO’s own rankings.
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Billam-Smith and Clarke share a first fight week face-off
“If this was for a world title, everyone would be like this is a good defence. He’s No 6 with the WBO, everyone knows his resume, he’s fought top fighters and I’d say he deserves a title shot if I’m being honest,” Bentley said.
“I deserve to defend my title. I’m being criticised for my move but that’s because a lot of people out there are putting out narratives to try and take a hit on Zuffa as a promotional company. I’m just in the middle of the crossfire.
“It’s not [fair] but life is not fair. You’ve just got to take it as it is.”
Bentley has vowed to use all this antagonism to fuel his motivation for Saturday’s fight.
“I’m expecting a dogfight at some point, it should be good. I get excited about these fighters. He’s a good fighter and if I turn up I can put on a good performance,” he said.
“I’m free of all this circus and I can just move forward and box like I want to do.”
Bentley has overcome setbacks in life and career before. He has faced adversity becoming a three-time British middleweight champion. He lost his first world title fight, but came back eventually to win the WBO’s interim belt that was upgraded to the full world championship.
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Billam-Smith and Clarke will box in the headline event of Zuffa Boxing 12 at London’s Copper Box Arena
He was out of action for more than a year before his crucial fight with Endry Saavedra that saw him secure the interim strap. That was a struggle. He was looking for work outside of the sport, but could not even get jobs as a delivery driver.
“I was out for 16 months,” Bentley said. “During that time there was no income because I wasn’t fighting.
“It’s hard for boxers to get sponsors and I just couldn’t get anything going so I was trying to apply for Amazon delivery, like a zero-hour contract one, you just download the app put in your details and it just gives you jobs and you just do it whenever you can.
“And there were just no jobs in my area at the time. That’s the only reason why I didn’t do it.
“I just couldn’t get any work. I just had to sit tight and wait for a fight date.
“I don’t think I take enough time to sit back and think about my journey. When you put it like that it is quite incredible.”
Watch Bentley vs Mosley Jr this Saturday live on Sky Sports.
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