Denzel Bentley Stripped of WBO Middleweight Title
The WBO says Bentley’s move to sign with Zuffa and book a Nov. 7 fight breached a mandatory order tied to a preserved purse bid and the body will pursue a vacant-title contest.
Overview
- The WBO formally removed Bentley as champion on Friday after its Complaint and Grievance Committee denied his appeal of a mandatory defence order.
- The committee’s October 22 notice upheld the mandatory that Bentley face No. 1 Yoenli Hernandez and lifted a stay, requiring both sides to respond before further action.
- Published purse-bid minutes show Warriors Boxing submitted the lone $200,000 offer for the Hernandez fight with an 80/20 split recorded as $160,000 for the champion and $40,000 for the challenger.
- Bentley left Queensberry for Zuffa and accepted a Nov. 7 London booking with Shane Mosley Jr., a move his camp said would be a voluntary defence but which the WBO did not authorize.
- The WBO is expected to order Hernandez into a vacant-title bout against a top contender such as Michael Zerafa or Vito Mielnicki Jr., though no opponent, date or venue has been announced and the decision will affect fighter purses and short-term scheduling.