Denzel Bentley keeps it real and wants to prove his worth in the middleweight division

When Denzel Bentley misplaced his British title to Nathan Heaney his hopes of one other world title shot sailed additional away. Nonetheless, his spectacular win in opposition to Danny Dignum and doubtlessly one other in opposition to Derrick Ozaze not solely keeps him energetic however in the combine for larger fights in the middleweight division. The quantity two WBO contender spoke to Boxing Information about conserving his toes on the floor and why he wants to earn the proper to get again to the place he was a few years in the past.

Interview by Shaun Brown

BN: With you and Derrick Ozaze each in London have you ever encountered each other earlier than?

DB: Yeah, we’ve got numerous mutual pals so I form of know him personally. We sparred about six years in the past. He got here down for the week to see his household, and he was in the health club for the week, so we sparred for that week.

It’s humorous as a result of I used to be saying to somebody simply a few weeks earlier than I came upon we may very well be combating that we have been messaging one another. So when it got here out, I used to be like, oh man, it’s a bit awkward, however pay attention, it is what it is.

BN: I keep in mind talking to you after your win in opposition to Kieran Smith and you have been a bit annoyed at the lack of exercise in your profession. You should be glad to be combating repeatedly once more.

DB: Most undoubtedly. I get pleasure from being energetic. We’re all the time in the health club, working laborious and stuff, as a result of there’s so many individuals in the health club and somebody might need a date, so I’ll be doing their camp with them and so on. I’m all the time in the health club, I’m all the time prepared to go, I’m all the time prepared to battle. It’s not like I take numerous outing after fights and I’ve acquired to get again in form.

I’m all the time in half respectable form and like I’ve mentioned 1,000,000 occasions, I like competing, I really like combating. I get pleasure from it. So after I’m not energetic, it simply appears like I’m losing time in the health club and I may very well be doing one thing else, spending time with the household or doing one thing, however I’m in the health club ready for a date and not getting one. It may be actually irritating. I’m giving numerous my time and my life to the sport and I ain’t acquired lengthy in it. I need to get every part achieved now as a lot as I can, in order that after I do go away the sport, I’m glad with how my profession’s gone.

BN: You beat Danny Dignum and are anticipated to beat Ozaze as properly. Do you have to win on Saturday you will need to absolutely be chapping on Queensberry’s door in search of an even bigger battle.

DB: To be sincere, I’ve perceive my place. If I had beat [Nathan] Heaney, I might have been there. I do know I had to come again in opposition to [Danny] Dignum and that was an excellent efficiency and I confirmed that it was simply an off night time in opposition to Heaney. I’m a contender in the middleweight division, however that’s just one battle. I’ve acquired to do it once more earlier than I can begin saying, cool, now can we transfer on once more? I perceive the setback.

I perceive I’ve acquired to take a step again to transfer ahead once more and that’s what I’m doing. With this battle, it’s a great battle. Ozaze is an efficient fighter. He’s a great fighter. I’m broadly anticipated to win as a result of I’m extra recognized than him. He simply isn’t actually recognized a lot.

So it’s like, oh, who’s this man? However he’s a troublesome fighter. He’s a great fighter. He’s sturdy and he’s recreation. I believe this might prove to be a dogfight, however no matter kind of battle it is, I’ve simply acquired to be certain that I get my hand raised at the finish of it. I can’t take him frivolously and afford one other slip-up. I’ve acquired to come by way of this and then I can begin asking different questions like how do I transfer ahead.

BN: You spoke about figuring out your place, which is a really sincere and reasonable evaluation. Have you ever all the time been a realist?

DB: Yeah, 100%. You have got to be reasonable in life. We’ve all acquired expectations. All of us need to be in locations and all of us need to be at the prime of no matter it is we do. However you’ve acquired to ask your self, do you deserve it? What have you ever achieved to deserve it? On this recreation, you’ve acquired to be a bit deluded.

You’ve acquired to really feel such as you’re the greatest to find a way to compete in opposition to the greatest. I’m not doubting that, however you even have to perceive your journey and your place. Like I’ve mentioned 1,000,000 occasions, I didn’t come the typical route into boxing. I got here late. I didn’t do a lot as an novice. So I began on small reveals, then I acquired picked up by Frank [Warren] due to relationships and we jumped on a final minute present and I impressed.

I haven’t been anticipated to do something. So why would I really feel like somebody wants to push me simply because I really feel like I needs to be pushed? I’ve acquired to present my worth. I do know what I really feel like I’m worth, however I’ve acquired to present everybody else what I really feel like I’m worth and what I really feel like I can do. And I really feel like the extra reasonable you’re, the much less upset you’ll be. I do know I’m a great fighter, however I additionally perceive my place. I perceive that I’ve acquired to prove I’m.

I’ve acquired to get the alternatives and take them and win. Simply because I believe I’m a great fighter doesn’t imply I needs to be put right here, there and there. I’ve acquired to earn my proper to be put in these positions. Saying that, I really feel like there’s numerous fighters in good positions which have one thing else that helps push them. They could promote numerous tickets or they may have social media presence. However I simply don’t really feel like they’re the fighters that folks suppose they’re and however different issues have warranted them to be in that place. I’m not massive on social media. I’m not a giant persona outdoors.

BN: We not too long ago noticed your outdated opponent Nathan Heaney lose to Brad Pauls. And Tyler Denny picked up the greatest win of his profession in opposition to Felix Money. Did you anticipate these outcomes?

DB: To be sincere, I believed Pauls was going to win the first battle, then he drew. Then I believed, coming again, Heaney should know what he’s achieved incorrect and Heaney will beat him.

It was an thrilling battle. I believe when he dropped Heaney, the battle was going Brad Pauls’ favour. I believe the first three rounds have been Heaney and I believed, yeah, he’s operating away with this.

When he acquired put down, Brad Pauls began successful nearly each spherical from there for me and then he stopped him in the finish. Money and Tyler Denny, I didn’t anticipate that. I believed Money was going to get him, however it was like, how good is Money? How contemporary is he? He’s been inactive for a really very long time. He’s acquired a brand new coach, how’s it all work? However simply due to the degree we’ve seen Money field at, I anticipated Money to beat him on factors. I didn’t suppose he was going to cease him on factors. So after I noticed Tyler beat him, I do know it was stopped on a minimize, however he was successful each spherical for me anyway.

BN: Do you anticipate one other upset for Tyler in opposition to Hamzah Sheeraz?

DB: I do know it sounds mad as a result of I’m doubting him once more, however Hamzah is a distinct form of fighter. Money is proficient and he’s good, however he’s very ill-disciplined. He’s inactive, he’s not likely disciplined. He lives a reckless life outdoors of boxing and as you grow old, all that catches up to you. You may’t tackle all that stress. Hamzah’s the reverse, particularly in the ring.

I believe it’s going to be laborious to break by way of Hamzah’s defence. It’s going to be laborious to break him and make him field out of rhythm. Make him do one thing he’s not used to doing as a result of he’s very disciplined and listens to his coaches. If his coach says one factor, he’s going to go on the market and try this. Identical to the Ammo Williams battle, he acquired caught with a giant left hand. He acquired rocked, he didn’t panic. He simply sat in his shell, waited till the storm handed over and then began throwing his photographs and catching them in between. I believe it’s going to be just about an identical battle to that.