When Denzel Bentley misplaced his British title to Nathan Heaney his hopes of one other world title shot sailed additional away. Nevertheless, his spectacular win in opposition to Danny Dignum and doubtlessly one other in opposition to Derrick Ozaze not solely retains him energetic however within the combine for greater fights within the middleweight division. The quantity two WBO contender spoke to Boxing Information about protecting his ft on the bottom and why he must earn the appropriate 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 now have loads of 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 within the fitness center 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 discovered we may very well be preventing that we had 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’s what it’s.
BN: I keep in mind talking to you after your win in opposition to Kieran Smith and also you had been a bit pissed off on the lack of exercise in your profession. You should be joyful to be preventing often once more.
DB: Most positively. I get pleasure from being energetic. We’re all the time within the fitness center, working onerous and stuff, as a result of there’s so many individuals within the fitness center and somebody might need a date, so I’ll be doing their camp with them and so forth. I’m all the time within the fitness center, I’m all the time able to go, I’m all the time able to battle. It’s not like I take loads of outing after fights and I’ve acquired to get again in form.
I’m all the time in half first rate form and like I’ve mentioned 1,000,000 occasions, I like competing, I really like preventing. I get pleasure from it. So after I’m not energetic, it simply looks like I’m losing time within the fitness center and I may very well be doing one thing else, spending time with the household or doing one thing, however I’m within the fitness center ready for a date and never getting one. It may be actually irritating. I’m giving loads of my time and my life to the game and I ain’t acquired lengthy in it. I wish to get every little thing carried out now as a lot as I can, in order that after I do go away the game, I’m glad with how my profession’s gone.
BN: You beat Danny Dignum and are anticipated to beat Ozaze as effectively. Must you win on Saturday you could certainly be chapping on Queensberry’s door on the lookout for 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 needed to come again in opposition to [Danny] Dignum and that was an important efficiency and I confirmed that it was simply an off evening in opposition to Heaney. I’m a contender within 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 maneuver ahead once more and that’s what I’m doing. With this battle, it’s battle. Ozaze is an efficient fighter. He’s fighter. I’m broadly anticipated to win as a result of I’m extra identified than him. He simply isn’t actually identified a lot.
So it’s like, oh, who’s this man? However he’s a tricky fighter. He’s fighter. He’s sturdy and he’s recreation. I feel this might turn into a dogfight, however no matter sort of battle it’s, I’ve simply acquired to ensure I get my hand raised on the finish of it. I can’t take him frivolously and afford one other slip-up. I’ve acquired to return by way of this after which I can begin asking different questions like how do I transfer ahead.
BN: You spoke about understanding your place, which is a really sincere and practical evaluation. Have you ever all the time been a realist?
DB: Yeah, 100%. You must be practical in life. We’ve all acquired expectations. All of us wish to be in locations and all of us wish to be on the high of no matter it’s we do. However you’ve acquired to ask your self, do you deserve it? What have you ever carried out 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 very best to have the ability to compete in opposition to the very best. I’m not doubting that, however you even have to grasp your journey and your place. Like I’ve mentioned 1,000,000 occasions, I didn’t come the traditional 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 must push me simply because I really feel like I ought to be pushed? I’ve acquired to indicate my value. I do know what I really feel like I’m value, however I’ve acquired to indicate everybody else what I really feel like I’m value and what I really feel like I can do. And I really feel just like the extra practical you’re, the much less upset you’ll be. I do know I’m fighter, however I additionally perceive my place. I perceive that I’ve acquired to show I’m.
I’ve acquired to get the alternatives and take them and win. Simply because I feel I’m fighter doesn’t imply I ought 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 loads of fighters in good positions which have one thing else that helps push them. They may promote loads of tickets or they could have social media presence. However I simply don’t really feel like they’re the fighters that folks assume they’re and however different issues have warranted them to be in that place. I’m not huge on social media. I’m not a giant persona exterior.
BN: We not too long ago noticed your outdated opponent Nathan Heaney lose to Brad Pauls. And Tyler Denny picked up the largest win of his profession in opposition to Felix Money. Did you count on these outcomes?
DB: To be sincere, I assumed Pauls was going to win the primary battle, then he drew. Then I assumed, coming again, Heaney should know what he’s carried out incorrect and Heaney will beat him.
It was an thrilling battle. I feel when he dropped Heaney, the battle was going Brad Pauls’ favour. I feel the primary three rounds had been Heaney and I assumed, yeah, he’s operating away with this.
When he acquired put down, Brad Pauls began successful nearly each spherical from there for me after which he stopped him ultimately. Money and Tyler Denny, I didn’t count on that. I assumed Money was going to get him, however it was like, how good is Money? How recent is he? He’s been inactive for a really very long time. He’s acquired a brand new coach, how’s all of it work? However simply due to the extent we’ve seen Money field at, I anticipated Money to beat him on factors. I didn’t assume he was going to cease him on factors. So after I noticed Tyler beat him, I do know it was stopped on a reduce, however he was successful each spherical for me anyway.
BN: Do you count on 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 probably not disciplined. He lives a reckless life exterior of boxing and as you become older, all that catches as much as you. You may’t tackle all that stress. Hamzah’s the other, particularly within the ring.
I feel it’s going to be onerous to interrupt by way of Hamzah’s defence. It’s going to be onerous to interrupt 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 do this. Similar 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 after which began throwing his pictures and catching them in between. I feel it’s going to be just about an identical battle to that.
