Denzel Bentley figures getting rinsed across social media might actually work in his favor. Losing his WBO middleweight strap threw his name directly into feeds belonging to fans who had never watched him box. Now, he plans on using Shane Mosley Jr. to make an impression that actually sticks.
“Winning caps it all off, 100 percent,” Bentley said during their Zuffa Boxing 12 faceoff on Sky Sports. “I mean, everyone’s saying my name. I wouldn’t know about flowers yet, ’cause right now I’m getting rinsed online, but that’s all cool.” Bentley pointed out that casual fans tuning in because of the drama finally get to watch him perform. He fully expects to stop Mosley inside the distance.
Bentley clashes with Mosley this Saturday at Copper Box Arena in London. It was the exact matchup Bentley pushed for before taking on mandatory challenger Yoenli Hernández. The WBO shut down his appeal, stripping his belt on the spot. While Bentley kept his spot on the card, the sanctioning drama created an instant buzz. The real casualty was the world title he could have carried into a massive unification clash.
That loss stings because Bentley still craves marquee matchups. He insists he technically remains the champion, keeping his sights locked on the middleweights signed to Zuffa. Carlos Adames got mentioned during the press festivities. Bentley made it clear he intends to hunt division leaders as a challenger, targeting the exact names he wanted during his title reign. Zuffa offers the platform, yet Saturday comes without any guarantees.
Mosley acknowledged Bentley lost his strap through boardroom politics rather than ring action, though he still expects to cruise to a points victory. Coming off a signature win against Serhii Bohachuk, Mosley wants the spotlight Bentley created. Invading London to steal a victory puts Mosley first in line for major fights under the promotional banner. Forcing Bentley into a messy boxing match could also ruin the knockout statement Bentley promised.
Bentley walked himself into a trap. Flattening an opponent who just upset Bohachuk forces the critics to shut their mouths after the WBO embarrassment. An emphatic stoppage forces Zuffa to open the checkbook for Adames. Scraping past Mosley on a dull decision does nothing for him, leaving him on the outside looking in with zero leverage. Internet trolls jumped on his neck the second the belt vanished. Saturday determines if Bentley backs up his mouth or becomes a punchline in his own backyard.
