Denzel Bentley has been left frustrated after the WBO ruled out both of his more lucrative options for a first defence of his middleweight title, ordering him instead into a mandatory fight against Cuban contender Yoenli Hernandez. The decision ends, for now, talk of a domestic unification with Aaron McKenna and closes the door on the money fight Bentley himself had floated with Conor Benn.
The ruling
The WBO confirmed on 5 September that Bentley must enter negotiations with Hernandez, its number one contender at 160lbs, with both camps given 20 days to reach a deal before the fight is sent to a purse bid hearing. That timeline expires within days of this piece being published, meaning an announcement or a purse bid date should follow shortly.
The sanctioning body then went further on 18 September, ruling that Benn could not be considered for an immediate shot at Bentley’s belt. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri said Benn remains unranked at middleweight and cannot receive a championship opportunity so soon after his second round knockout loss to Ryan Garcia earlier this month. The same ruling confirmed that a proposed unification with McKenna, the IBF champion, would not be sanctioned ahead of the Hernandez mandatory.
Bentley’s reaction
Bentley, 31 and unbeaten in his last five fights, did not hide his irritation when he spoke to Ring Magazine this week. “It’s mental how he’s mandatory when he’s never had a 12 rounder,” he said of Hernandez, who has just 11 professional fights on his record despite a decorated amateur background. The Londoner made clear he would have preferred either of the fights the WBO has now closed off, naming McKenna and Benn as the opponents he wanted.
He also questioned whether Hernandez’s amateur pedigree, a two time world champion at that level, would translate to the professional ranks over 12 rounds. “They live and breathe boxing but how many of them turn out to be great professional fighters? Not many,” Bentley said of Cuban fighters generally, pointing to Andy Cruz and David Morrell as amateur standouts who have not always dominated as professionals. “All the movement and the way they box so explosively and burn energy isn’t sufficient for the later rounds,” he added. Bentley has acknowledged he has little choice but to proceed with the fight or vacate the title he has held since being elevated from interim champion in July.
The unification that got away
The timing will sting for McKenna, too. Reporter Mike Coppinger revealed on 3 September that the Irish fighter and Bentley had a deal in place for an IBF and WBO unification in late 2026, likely in London or Dublin given both fighters’ followings. McKenna had won his own title in August with a win over Etinosa Oliha in Dublin, and the unification would have set the winner up for a genuine three belt fight against WBC champion Carlos Adames or WBA titleholder Erislandy Lara. Hernandez’s mandatory claim, already lodged with the WBO before the McKenna deal was announced, took precedence.
Benn’s next move
For Benn, the WBO’s ruling removes a route back into world title contention that had looked more theoretical than likely in any case. Moving up from welterweight to middleweight so soon after being stopped by Garcia would have carried obvious risk, and Benn’s team have shown far more interest in a lucrative rematch with domestic rival Chris Eubank Jr than in chasing a belt at a new weight. Bentley’s public offer of the fight, made shortly after his own loss of leverage over Benn’s uncertain future, always looked more attractive to Bentley’s bank balance than to Benn’s ring career.
What happens next
With the McKenna and Benn options both off the table, attention now turns to whether Bentley and Hernandez’s teams can strike a deal before the 20 day window closes or whether the fight heads to a purse bid, which would likely favour Bentley given his status as champion. Either way, a Bentley versus Hernandez announcement looks close, even if it was not the fight either the champion or British fans were hoping for.
