Newly crowned WBO middleweight champion Denzel Bentley is already looking ahead to his next challenge, with a potential November clash against former world champion Liam Smith emerging as a target.
Bentley initially captured the WBO interim middleweight title in April before being elevated to full champion in July. The promotion followed Janibek Alimkhanuly's decision to move up to the super-middleweight division after he was suspended following a failed drugs test.
A fight with Smith had previously been discussed earlier this year. The former WBO junior-middleweight champion was reportedly being considered as a potential opponent for Bentley, but the bout failed to materialize at the time. Now, however, the matchup could be revisited for later this year.
Bentley has indicated that November is the tentative timeframe he has been given, although he admits there is still uncertainty surrounding the fight.
“Hopefully it happens by the end of the year,” Bentley said.
“The date I've been given is November, but I'll be honest, there's been no clarity on whether it's happening or not. I've been given a date, but yeah, I don't know the reason.”
The champion made it clear that Smith is the opponent he would prefer to face, largely because of the name recognition and experience the former titleholder would bring to his record.
“That's the fight I want, because he's a name, isn't he? It'll be a good name to get on my CV,” Bentley said.
Smith enters the potential matchup after suffering consecutive defeats against Aaron McKenna and Chris Eubank Jr. He is currently outside the WBO's top 15 at middleweight and is scheduled to return to action against unbeaten Finnish fighter Ilari Kujala on September 4.
For Bentley, the situation is also complicated by his current promotional status. The 31-year-old revealed that he is now a free agent after previously working with Queensberry Promotions.
While Bentley would like to continue his relationship with Queensberry, he is willing to consider opportunities from other promoters if the right offer arrives.
“If they want to offer me some money, then yeah, I'm open to fighting elsewhere,” Bentley said.
With Bentley holding the WBO midd
