WATCH LIVE on ESPN+, Saturday, November 12 – Main Card: 11:00 p.m. ET/ 8:00 p.m. PT — Undercard: 7:15 p.m. ET / 4:15 p.m. PT
DENZEL BENTLEY WILL fight for the WBO world middleweight championship when he takes on the champion, Janibek Alimkhanuly at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on November 12, exclusively live on BT Sport in the UK.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Frank Warren’s Queensberry, two-time British champion Bentley challenges the unbeaten Kazakh a matter of just under two months after making a successful first defence of his Lonsdale belt against Marcus Morrison in mid-September.
Battersea man Bentley (17-1-1, 14 KOs) first won the British title with victory over Mark Heffron in November 2020, but was defeated in his maiden defence against mandatory challenger Felix Cash. Bentley bounced back and regained his title against Linus Udofia in May of this year and subsequently stopped Morrison in four brutal rounds at London’s York Hall.
Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly, labelled as boxing’s most avoided world champion, has found an opponent in Bentley who didn’t need asking twice.
Janibek (12-0, 8 KOs), a 2016 Olympian from Zhilandy, Kazakhstan, took an express route towards winning a world title. He fought in his first scheduled 10-rounder in his sixth professional fight, winning two regional titles in a dominant showing over Cristian Olivas. Janibek’s last four bouts have been in Las Vegas, with four knockouts propelling him to the top of the middleweight rankings.
In 2021, he knocked out former world champions Rob Brant and Hassan N’Dam to earn a shot at the WBO interim middleweight title. Janibek knocked out Danny Dignum in two devastating rounds to earn a shot at previous champion Demetrius Andrade. Janibek was elevated to world champion after Andrade elected to move up in weight rather than defend his middleweight title.
“It will be a good and exciting fight and I think it is a fight I can win,” said Bentley. So why not go out there and enjoy the theatrics of Las Vegas and come back with a world title. So I said yes to the fight straight away, 100%. It is a great opportunity for a world title and what fighter doesn’t want to be in this position?
“Like I have said before, I genuinely believe I can beat him and he is beatable. Everybody says he is scary, but I don’t see it. Maybe I am missing something. We will find out when we get in the ring anyway. I do think he is a good fighter and is slick. I think he is really comfortable in the ring and I think that is his best attribute, he is a really confident person. I haven’t seen him panic under pressure or put a foot wrong, really.
“I had a feeling I would come up against him so, when it came through, there was no way I could say no to it. It is a fight I am actually happy to take.”
JANIBEK – BENTLEY FIGHT DATE, START TIME
- Date: Saturday, November 12th
- Time: 8 p.m. ET / 1 a.m. BST
- Main event ringwalks (approx): 11 p.m. ET / 4 a.m. GMT
- US viewers can watch the fight live on ESPN+ while those in the UK can watch on BT Sport.
- The fight takes place at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The champion Janibek added: “I give Denzel Bentley credit for accepting the challenge when so many fighters ran the other way. “It is a great honor to defend my world title in Las Vegas at The Palms, and I will once again show the world what ‘Qazaq Style’ is about.”
Frank Warren describes going up against the notorious Janibek as a ‘golden opportunity’ for his middleweight star.
“Denzel Bentley is backing himself and completely believes he has got what it takes to win the WBO world middleweight championship from a formidable champion in Janibek Alimkhanuly,” stated the Hall of Fame promoter.
“It is a golden opportunity for Denzel to step up from being a respected British champion to starring on the world stage in Las Vegas. I can tell you that Denzel had absolutely no hesitation in accepting this fight and Janibek is a name he has mentioned to us on a number of occasions.
“I am delighted Denzel is getting this opportunity and happy to be working in tandem with Bob Arum and his team at Top Rank to deliver it for him.”
Bob Arum, chairman of Top Rank, insists he doesn’t anticipate the middleweight rule of Janibek to end any time soon.
“Janibek is the top middleweight in the world, and this fight will be the start of a long and accomplished championship reign,” he said.
Janibek Alimkhanuly
“Last time {I fought}, it was just the beginning of my knockout career. I hope God will {give me the strength} to do much better, and you can see all of my good punches.”
“When I came to America, it was already in our plans to bring a good team around us. Because of this team, I am a champion now.”
“I don’t know why nowadays champions don’t want to fight with the other champions. I don’t think they should be afraid. I am here. I am a champion now. I am here to fight the champions. Hopefully, Top Rank can organize a fight with another world champion next.”
Denzel Bentley
“This means a lot. We’re at the top of the sport now. This is what I’ve dreamed of as a fighter. This is what every fighter dreams of. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to be here in Vegas and fight for the WBO world championship against the champion himself.”
“You’re going to see something special.”
On Janibek saying he will knock him out
“He’s meant to say that. He wants to keep his KO streak and so do I. We’re in for a good fight Saturday.”
Super Bad is BACK! Seniesa Estrada Set for Long-Awaited Ring Return
After nearly 11 months out of the ring, Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada is ready to make up for lost time. Estrada, who signed a long-term promotional pact with Top Rank earlier this year, will defend her WBA minimumweight world title Saturday against Jazmin Gala Villarino at Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Estrada-Villarino will serve as the co-feature to the WBO middleweight world title fight between reigning champion Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly and British challenger Denzel Bentley. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, tickets starting at $25 are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.
Alimkhanuly-Bentley, Estrada-Villarino, and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Estrada (22-0, 9 KOs), a two-weight world champion from East Lost Angeles, is ranked No. 7 on the ESPN.com pound-for-pound list. Before her recent layoff, Estrada had a banner 2021, going 3-0 while winning a pair of world titles. Last December, she knocked down the previously unbeaten Maria Micheo Santizo twice en route to a fourth-round stoppage.
As fight week kicks off, this is what “Super Bad” had to say from her Los Angeles training camp:
“Jazmin is a tough opponent, and I know any fight can be dangerous. She’s fighting in America for the first time and is coming in as the underdog. This is her opportunity to become a champion, and I am not taking her lightly. I always prepare to be the best ‘Super Bad’ I can be.”
“This is my first fight with Top Rank, and it’s the perfect time in women’s boxing to be with Top Rank and to fight on the ESPN platform. I’ve had a nearly 11-month layoff, and I felt like I was missing out on all the incredible things happening in the sport. I want to be the best and stay active. Now I’m happy to be back and hopefully go for those big unification fights that I’ve wanted and ultimately become an undisputed champion.”
“Growing up, I didn’t have a role model to look up to in women’s boxing. Being in a position where I can inspire younger women is great. It makes all of my struggles worth it. That’s what I do it for, to inspire the next generation of women who want to accomplish great things.”
“I believe I am the best fighter at minimumweight, light flyweight, and flyweight. My goal is to conquer all three divisions. I want to win all the belts at 105, then go to 108 and 112.”
(ESPN+, 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT)
• Janibek Alimkhanuly 159.6 lbs vs. Denzel Bentley 159 lbs
(Janibek’s WBO Middleweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
• Seniesa Estrada 103.8 lbs vs. Jazmin Gala
Villarino 105 lbs
(Estrada’s WBA Minimumweight World Title — 10 Rounds)
(ESPN+, 7:15 p.m. ET / 4:15 p.m. PT)
• Raymond Muratalla 135 lbs vs. Miguel Contreras 135.2 lbs
(Lightweight— 8 Rounds)
• Emiliano Fernando Vargas 133.8 lbs vs. Julio Cesar Martinez 134 lbs
(Lightweight — 4 Rounds)
• Javier Martinez 162.6 lbs vs. Marco Delgado 162.6 lbs
(Super Middleweight — 6 Rounds)
• Floyd Diaz 122.4 lbs vs. Edgar Joe Cortes 122.2 lbs
(Junior Featherweight — 6 Rounds)
• Charlie Sheehy 135 lbs vs. Markus Bowes 135.6 lbs
(Lightweight — 4 Rounds)
• Karlos Balderas 135.4 lbs vs. Esteban Sanchez 135.2 lbs
(Lightweight — 8 Rounds)
• Antonio Mireles 269.6 lbs vs. Eric Perry 279.8 lbs
(Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)
