DENZEL BENTLEY is giving bravery and betting tips to the rest of British boxing with his latest longshot mission.
With Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua topping the list of massive fights fans are NOT getting to see – as stars protect their brands, egos and records – the Battersea middleweight is throwing himself in the deepest end again.
On Saturday night the 27-year-old meets the 11st 7lbs boogieman and unbeaten WBO world champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly in Las Vegas.
The Khazak is both an awkward southpaw and a KO artist who has won 8 of his 12 fights via knockout and nobody in the big-money division is calling out the 29-year-old celebrated amateur.
But the 10-1 underdog – who was funding his own boxing career with shelf-stacking shifts at Sainsburys just three years ago – is backing himself, in the gambling goldmine, as always.
“The fact that I am willing to take these sorts of risks is testament to my hard work and character,” he said. “It’s what dreams are made of, I am happy and excited about it.
“Of course I believe I can beat him, 100 per cent. I wouldn’t take the fight if I didn’t think I could win.
“This is a voluntary defence for him, it’s not like I have petitioned or managed my way into this fight and am running scared.
“He is a very good fighter but I think I can pull it off.
“The bookies don’t fancy me but I am always the underdog in big fights, it just means more winnings for the boys who do back me.”
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Bentley won the British title in just his third year as a professional but was bludgeoned inside just three rounds in his next fight with Felix Cash in April 2021.
It was a make-or-break moment in the Peacock gym star’s career and sparked a three-win run that helped him regain the British title.
Now Bentley reckons the punishing defeat might have prepared him for this dream world title shot better than any of his 17 wins.
“I have always had faith in myself but everyone has their own doubts,” he said. “But that is why I kept taking risks.
“I took the British title fight when I was still a new prospect, then I took the Felix Cash fight and I came up short.
“That was a bad loss and the biggest lesson I took from it was knowing I never want to feel like that again.
“It was not a gruelling close decision, it was a bad loss and I am the first to say it.
“I had to realise this game is not that easy. If I think I am a world-level fighter I cannot be losing like that.
“I always believe I can beat these guys but I just need to take the risks to find out if I am at that level. This fight now is a dream come true.”
