Skip to main content
Boxing

Denzel Bentley’s Shane Mosley Jr. Gamble Could Backfire

WBO middleweight champion Denzel Bentley's taking another fight of his mandatory biut could put his belt in jeopardy.
Terrance Biggs|
Denzel Bentley
Denzel Bentley | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The saying "heavy is the head that wears the crown" could be directly connected to the tightrope that world champions must traverse as they navigate their careers.

First, as titleholders, champions must immediately take into account the wishes of the sanctioning body that designates them. Next, promoters, who organize the title fights, also play a significant role. More importantly, career planning and progression need the most attention.

Timelines and the event calendar are pressing needs for sanctioning bodies to address. Placing their champions in high-revenue events matters, as does strict adherence to their rankings. WBO middleweight champion Denzel Bentley finds himself in a precarious position. While he seemingly wants to fulfill his duty to the WBO, he made a move that runs contrary to that, prompting him to defend against accusations of committing a cardinal sin in boxing.

Bentley discusses WBO situation

Bentley became the full WBO middleweight champion after former champion Janibek Alimkhanuly moved up to 168 pounds. Last April, Bentley claimed the interim title with an eighth-round knockout of Endry Saavedra. A nine-year professional, Bentley climbed the ranks from local boxing in small venues to hoisting world titles.

Next month, Bentley is scheduled to face Shane Mosley Jr. However, Yoenil Rodriguez is the WBO's mandatory No. 1 contender. As a result, there were concerns that Bentley was avoiding his mandatory opponent in favor of a more lucrative fight that lacked significant interest. The organization has threatened to strip Bentley, and the champion isn't thrilled.

"I think we've got a strong enough case for us to keep our title, and if we can keep the title on the line for this fight, it would be an honor for me and an honor for Shane Mosley Jr. getting a shot at a world title, and he could potentially become world champion. Not on my watch, I'm not going to let that happen."

Accusing someone of undermining the passion for the sport—the very fighting spirit that drives boxers to compete—raises important concerns. However, Bentley's justification for offering a title shot to a 22-5 boxer who is the son of a legend, based solely on that, does not make sense.

The WBO probably doesn't care about altruism in the ring. They want their champion to be active and defend their title against the top-ranked challenger. Now, Bentley risks further antagonizing the sanctioning body. Can he find a way back into their good graces?

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Terrance Biggs
TERRANCE BIGGS

Terrance is a boxing writer for KO on SI. He's enjoyed over a decade of writing experience, writing for Full Press Coverage, Pro Football Sports Network and Heavy.com, covering both professional and collegiate sports. He is s a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association. Terrance also votes on postseason awards like the Biletnikoff, Groza, and Thorpe Awards. Biggs earned his bachelor's degree in Communication from Fort Hays State University. When not writing, he enjoys spending time with his children and his fiancée, along with playing softball.