Denzel Bentley produced one other early night time at a well-recognized web site.
The heavy-handed middleweight flattened Derrick Osaze within the second spherical of their TNT Sports activities essential occasion. Osaze was dropped and counted out at 2:27 of spherical two Saturday night at York Corridor in Bethnal Inexperienced, England.
Bentley fought at this venue simply three months in the past, with the identical outcome. The native favourite from close by Wandsworth stopped Danny Dignum (16-2-1, 9 KOs) within the second spherical on Could 17.
It was a must-win state of affairs for Bentley (20-3-1, 17 knockouts) after two defeats in a three-bout span. His inventory rose albeit in a shedding effort in his Nov. 2022 WBO title problem of Janibek Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 KOs) in Las Vegas. Harsh—and justified—criticism ensued, nevertheless, after a factors loss to Nathan Heaney (18-1-1, 6 KOs) one 12 months later in Manchester, England.
Bentley has since rediscovered his in-ring swagger, competitors stage apart.
Osaze (13-2, 3 KOs) got here to struggle and pressed the motion for the majority of the opening spherical. Bentley correctly coated up throughout these moments and infrequently pressured Osaze to badly miss his mark. The extra telling blows had been produced by Bentley, who supplied a measured method and didn’t search for the knockout.
It will definitely surfaced.
Bentley was properly in management for a lot of spherical two. Osaze continued to come back ahead however in the end paid the worth. Bentley was in excellent place to land a proper uppercut to functionally finish the struggle. A subsequent left hook and proper hand served as window dressing, as Osaze landed flat on his entrance aspect. Referee John Latham proceeded to rely out the Nottingham-based middleweight.
“It was shot, man. That was a clear shot,” Bentley mentioned throughout his TNT Sports activities post-fight interview. “It was feeling.”
The celebration was briefly muted in order that the victor prolonged his humanitarian aspect to his in-ring-rival and his family members.
“Derrick’s lad,” insisted Bentley. “We now have a great deal of mutual (buddies). After my final struggle in opposition to Dignum, he messaged to congratulate me. He went on to share about our children. I’ve two youngsters. He has two as properly, simply had a new child. We wished one another the very best, and earlier than you recognize it, we had a struggle.
“We simply needed to put apart our emotions and proceed. That is how we feed our households.”
Bentley is again in place for higher paydays after back-to-back second-round knockouts. A giant one may come if he can place himself to revisit outdated enterprise. Alimkhanuly, No. 1 at 160 by The Ring, holds the WBO and IBF titles however has but to struggle in 2024.
“Hear, I’m No. 2 within the WBO,” Bentley identified. “I’ve been in search of a world championship for a very long time in my profession. That’s what I need.
“Having all these different [British middleweights] on the market, it simply means extra. Extra choices and I’m not being put in a nook. If these guys need to struggle, I’m prepared for you. All you bought to do is say my title. I’m like Candyman, say my title thrice in a row… and I’m there.”
