WBO rejects Bentley's appeal: mandatory against Hernandez or lose the title
The WBO has denied middleweight champion Denzel Bentley's appeal. He must face Yoenli Hernandez next – and, according to The Ring, would be stripped if he fights Shane Mosley Jr on November 7.
Archive image · Photo: Daniel from Glasgow, United Kingdom / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped and resized)
The WBO's Complaint and Grievance Committee has denied Denzel Bentley's appeal and upheld the ordered mandatory defence against Yoenli Hernandez. "Bentley MUST fight Hernandez NEXT," WBO president Gustavo Olivieri said, according to Boxing Wire. Both camps have 24 hours to confirm they will proceed.
Bentley (22-3-1, 18 KOs) was due to face sixth-ranked Shane Mosley Jr at London's Copper Box Arena on November 7 in what would have been his Zuffa Boxing debut. According to The Ring, he would be stripped immediately if he goes ahead, with Hernandez (11-0, 9 KOs) then fighting for the vacant belt.
Bentley had earlier told Sky Sports: "I don't want to vacate and I don't want to be stripped of my title." At September's purse bid, Warriors Boxing was the only bidder, at the $200,000 minimum.