Denzel Bentley believes he has a good case for the WBO to let him defend against Shane Mosley Jr. instead of mandatory challenger Yoenli Hernandez. If his appeal is rejected, he could give up the belt and go ahead with his planned Zuffa Boxing debut against Mosley Jr.
“I think because it went to purse bids it’s making it a bit difficult at this point. I think we do have a good case,” Bentley told Sky Sports.
Bentley believes he should get nine months as WBO champion before having to face his mandatory. He says his team disputed the order before the purse bid because they were already planning a voluntary defense. The WBO has yet to decide his appeal.
He is scheduled to fight Mosley on November 7 at London’s Copper Box Arena, on the Zuffa Boxing 12 card headlined by Chris Billam-Smith against Chev Clarke.
Hernandez’s promoter, Warriors Boxing, won the purse bid with a $200,000 offer. Queensberry attended without bidding, giving Warriors the right to stage Bentley’s mandatory defense.
Bentley has signed a multi-fight deal with Zuffa, and the Mosley Jr. fight is already arranged. If keeping his WBO belt means facing Hernandez next, he could give it up and pursue Zuffa’s own title instead.
Mosley Jr’s stoppage win over Serhii Bohachuk makes him a credible challenger, but he still looks the more winnable opponent for Bentley. Hernandez brings greater danger with his power. Bentley could lose his belt to the Cuban and take a beating that leaves him struggling to rebuild his career.
Mosley could beat Bentley as well, but he relies more on his boxing and looks less likely to batter him the way Hernandez might. Giving up the WBO title would allow Bentley to start his Zuffa deal against an opponent he has a better chance of beating.
Bentley has made no official move to surrender his belt. Keeping the hardware remains his primary goal, yet Hernandez earned his mandatory position through the proper channels. Signing with a new promoter clarifies Bentley’s motives, but it gives the challenger zero reason to step aside.