Denzel Bentley is reportedly seeking permission to postpone his mandatory defense against Yoenli Hernandez after the fight has already gone through purse bids. He should have made that request before another promoter secured the rights to stage the bout.
Bentley has not yet vacated his WBO middleweight title, according to EverythingBoxing, which reports that he has lodged an appeal with the organization’s grievance committee requesting a voluntary defense instead.
“I’ve confirmed that Bentley has lodged an appeal with the WBO’s grievance committee asking to make a voluntary defense of his title rather than fight Yoenli Hernandez next,” the account reported on X.
Warriors Boxing won the promotional rights with the minimum $200,000 bid. Queensberry did not submit an offer, leaving Hernandez’s promoter in control of staging the mandatory defense.
The low bid gives Bentley a financial reason to prefer another fight. Facing Hernandez under the challenger’s promotional banner for a modest purse is hardly an attractive outcome for the champion. However, that does not explain why permission for an alternative defense was not secured before the bidding process reached its conclusion.
The timing makes the appeal look like a response to an unfavorable result. That is an interpretation, rather than proof of Bentley’s motive, but it is the obvious question his request raises.
Hernandez’s side has followed the process and secured the fight through purse bids. Granting Bentley another defense would leave the challenger waiting while the champion pursues an opponent of his choosing.
Bentley can make his case for an exception, but the WBO also has to consider what its mandatory order means if the champion can change direction after promotional rights have been awarded.
The appeal does not establish that Bentley has vacated, nor does it mean he has received permission to bypass Hernandez. For now, the reported position is that he wants to keep his championship while changing his next defense.
He should have sought that approval before the purse bid.