New British boxing world champion crowned after controversial title holder relinquishes belt

Britain’s Denzel Bentley has finally been elevated to full WBO middleweight champion.

Bentley picked up the WBO interim title in April when he stopped Endry Saavedra of Venezuela inside seven rounds on the Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder undercard.

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The interim title fight had been made under controversial circumstances after the WBO opted to keep Janibek Alimkhanuly as its world champion while the Kazakh served a ban for a failed drug test.

Alimkhanuly returned adverse findings for the banned metabolic modulator, meldonium, less than a week before he was due to collide with Erislandy Lara in a WBA, IBF and WBO unification clash in December.

The IBF stripped Alimkhanuly, but while the WBO suspended the 32-year-old for a year, he remained the sanctioning body’s world champion until he voluntarily relinquished the belt on Monday.

WBO president Gustavo Olivieri confirmed to talkSPORT.com that Alimkhanuly had given up his belt in order to move up to 168lbs.

Bentley had previously expressed his frustrations with the WBO’s ruling during an appearance on talkSPORT in April.

“I won this title here, and it should have been for the full world title, not the interim,” said Bentley.

“As we speak, the full world champion [Janibek Alimkhanuly] is suspended for taking PEDS.

“I don’t see how you can be suspended by anyone and keep your titles.

“He’s suspended for a year, so I can’t fight him until then, which is why he shouldn’t hold his title.

“I was No.1, I fought the No. 2, and it should have been for the full world title to let us both fulfil our dreams, but that unfortunately didn’t happen for us.

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“Hopefully, the WBO can now make a decision and upgrade me to full world champion.”

After three months of waiting, Bentley took to Instagram on Monday to write: “Got the email. WORLD CHAMPION.”

Bentley’s promoter, Frank Warren, was among the first to congratulate ‘2Sharp’.

“Great news for Denzel Bentley – a huge achievement for him, Martin Bowers and the whole team,” the Hall of Famer wrote on X.

“Said back in April he grabbed the opportunity when it came, one that was fully deserved. Congratulations, champ!”

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