Boxer Profile: Denzel Bentley

Early Life
Denzel Bentley was born and raised in Battersea, South London. He started boxing relatively late, having his first amateur fight at the age of 19. His amateur career was brief, consisting of 17 fights before deciding to turn professional. Despite the short amateur stint, Bentley's talent and potential were evident from the start. 

Professional Career
Bentley made his professional debut on October 14, 2017, with a first-round knockout win. His career quickly gathered momentum, and in 2020, he captured the British middleweight title by defeating Mark Heffron. Bentley reclaimed the British title in spectacular fashion a year later after a thrilling victory over Linus Udofia in a fight that was widely regarded as one of the best of 2022 . Bentley's most significant opportunity came in November 2022 when he fought Zhanibek Alimkhanuly for the WBO world middleweight title in Las Vegas. Although Bentley lost the fight, he gained widespread respect for his performance, taking the undefeated Alimkhanuly the full 12 rounds, something none of Alimkhanuly's previous opponents had managed to do . Bentley became European Champion on 8 December, winning the fight by unanimous decision.

Personal Life
Denzel Bentley’s drive and perseverance have shaped his career. He still works with his former amateur coach, Ray Ball, and is also supported by trainer Martin Bowers, known for guiding heavyweight Daniel Dubois. Bentley is determined to climb the ranks beyond the European level and is set to fight for a world title next.