World champion offers Conor Benn a title shot

Denzel Bentley vs Conor Benn at middleweight?

WBO world middleweight champion Denzel Bentley (22-3-1, 18 KOs) is open to fighting Conor Benn (25-2, 14 KOs).

Benn just lost his challenge to Ryan Garcia for the WBC world welterweight title, a division where he was the no.1 contender despite not fighting there for four years.

Garcia destroyed the overmatched Brit inside two rounds, and now Benn is expected to return back towards middleweight, where he fought two fights with family rival Chris Eubank Jr. in 2025, scored one apiece.

Eubank Jr. goaded Benn on X after his first knockout defeat, then showed a video clip of him back in the gym for the first time since their November 2025 fight, which he lost widely, one judge only awarding him a single round from 12.

Benn spoke out on the Monday after his fight to say he doesn't have an answer for what's next, but most believe he will rehydrate back to 160lbs for a lucrative trilogy decider with Eubank.

However, there is another option available to him.

Battersea's boxing hero Denzel Bentley was elevated to full world champion after claiming the WBO Interim title with a storming performance against Endry Saavedra in April.

The 31-year-old Londoner has offered Benn a shot at his WBO belt, "Although the public might not think he deserves another world title shot in my eyes I feel like his profile is big enough for him to skip the queue," he told Sky Sports.

"It's unfair but that's the sport we're in. Obviously it's beneficial for me, especially financially, so 100 per cent that's the fight I would take. I've never had any beef with Conor, we've always been cool.

"But if he is coming to the 160lb division, he goes from a companion to a potential challenger.

"Firstly he needs to get himself right, well and fit. I think he should take a lot of time off and recover. I don't think there's any rush for him to get back into a boxing ring or even a gym. That weight cut was a fight in itself for him I think. Probably took a lot out of himself.

"Once he's well and fit, if he decides to move up to 160lbs and he does want the challenge, I think that's probably a conversation we can probably have ourselves: 'If you want to do this, let's push for it.'"

Bentley then previewed any potential punch-up between them, "I think I'm dangerous for anyone. I'm a lot bigger than him and I can punch.

"I think he will be a lot better with the extra weight.

"I think at 160lbs he'll be a lot more fuelled. But, listen, I punch as well and there were a lot of flaws in his game that night that I could exploit."