Denzel Bentley Stops Endry Saavedra in Seven, Wins Interim Title

Bentley breaks through after early pressure from Saavedra

Denzel Bentley forced himself back into the top tier of the 160-pound class with a seventh-round finish of Endry Saavedra at London’s O2 Arena. While the victory earned Bentley the WBO interim middleweight title, the night also highlighted the messy state of the division’s leadership.

The belt became available following Janibek Alimkhanuly’s sideline stint after a failed drug test. However, the path to the strap was far from easy for the Londoner.

The opening rounds did not resemble a routine win. Saavedra started fast, landing hard shots and backing Bentley up. Bentley worked behind the jab to hold distance, but he spent long stretches on the back foot under pressure.

By the end of the sixth round, Saavedra had a strong argument for being ahead on the cards. Bentley spent much of the early half of the fight absorbing punishment and trying to find his rhythm.

Bentley began to solve the puzzle in the middle rounds. He started timing Saavedra’s lunges and finding his range with more consistency from the fourth round onward.

Everything changed in the seventh. Bentley stepped inside and cracked Saavedra with a flush right hand that sent the challenger reeling toward the ropes. Recognizing his opponent was hurt, Bentley didn’t let up. He poured on a flurry of straight shots that snapped Saavedra’s head back and left him defenseless.

Referee Darren Sarginson intervened at 1:38 of the round to save Saavedra from further damage.

Following the win, Bentley (22-3-1, 18 KOs) had little interest in discussing his status as a secondary titleholder. He took aim at the absent Alimkhanuly and insisted his new hardware is the real deal.

“Let’s get one thing straight, I’m a world champion,” Bentley declared. He pointed out that the word “interim” doesn’t actually appear on the physical belt, stating he was taking it home so his son could see his father as a true world champion.

While the finish marked a career-best performance for Bentley, the administrative tangle at the top of the WBO rankings continues to linger.