WBO to order Bentley vs Saavedra final eliminator

Middleweight sluggers Denzel Bentley and Endry Saavedra have marching orders to duke it out

WBO head honcho Gustavo Olivieri announced today that the sanctioning body will order Denzel Bentley to face Endry Saavedra in a middleweight final eliminator.

Bentley (21-3-1, 17 KO) gave reigning champion Janibek Alimkhanuly an unexpectedly tough out in his 2022 title bid, but tumbled down the rankings after an upset loss to Nathan Heaney 12 months later. He’s since picked up a trio of wins, most notably crushing fellow Alimkhanuly victim Danny Dignum and outclassing Brad Pauls for the British and European titles.

Venezuela’s Saavedra (17-1-1, 14 KO) spent 2024 making things difficult for Australians. After knocking out Isaac Hardman in March, he appeared to have scored an upset over Cesar Mateo Tapia the following October in a three-knockdown slugfest, only to settle for a majority draw. It’s nice to see his efforts rewarded and he’s as fan-friendly as they come.

Can’t say I’m eager to see Alimkhanuly fight either of these guys. but this looks like a donnybrook in the making. We’ll let you know if the relevant parties come to terms.