Denzel Bentley fights Endry Saavedra on Saturday with the memory of almost becoming a delivery driver fresh in his mind.
The English middleweight and his Venezuelan counterpart are to contest the WBO interim title on the undercard of Deontay Wilder-Derek Chisora at London’s O2 Arena, and do so 16 months after Bentley’s past fight.
It was in December 2024 when Bentley defeated Brad Pauls via decision to win the British and European titles and, he hoped, to near a rematch with Janibek Alimkhanuly, then the IBF and WBO champion.
The eliminator with Saavedra that was then ordered by the WBO was repeatedly delayed – it appeared likeliest to happen on the undercard of Joseph Parker-Fabio Wardley in October 2025 – and, as a consequence, the 31-year-old Bentley sought alternative forms of income.
Sixteen months on from defeating Pauls he is almost grateful for the inactivity and the way it has contributed to him evolving as a fighter and forced him to mature, but the uncertainty he endured meant that the father of one applied to be a delivery driver before he finally received a fight date, and he is aware that there remains the possibility that victory over Saavedra, 34, could prove enough for him to realise his ambition of becoming the recognised champion of the WBO.
“If I don’t fight, I don’t get paid,” he told BoxingScene. “In that sense it’s been really hard to manage that. I’ve been working towards a goal, and I’m a year further from that goal, so it’s hard to say it’s better or it’s not, but I know what I’ve used this time to do I’m happy with.
“I did apply for work at times, but then I got the October date and thought ‘I can’t go to work and then do this’ so I had to stop that, but I did apply – just delivery jobs so that I can work around times. Amazon – stuff like that.
“It’s hard, man. It’s tough. I’ve got a young kid [two-year-old boy Cairo]. It’s a lot. You want to do things with him; you wanna go on holiday; let him enjoy life a little bit. All these things have been a struggle. You want to go away. ‘But if I spend this money and go away you’ve gotta go back and try and make ends meet.’ You don’t want to go away and then an opportunity comes. It was loads of reasons I couldn’t do things like that, but I’ve always been there. I’m present – I’m a present dad. Being at the house; take him to his activities like football. Those things were good enough, and he’s young enough not to remember anything when he gets older.
“My missus is quite good – she’s helped out a lot. She’s done quite well to help out, so I’m grateful to her for that, but now we’re back and I can get back to business.”
Janibek, who outpointed Bentley in 2022, tested positive for the banned substance meldonium on the eve of his scheduled fight in December with Erislandy Lara. He has subsequently been stripped by the IBF and suspended for a year by the WBO, for whom he regardless remains the titlist.
Bentley and his promoter Frank Warren have both been critical of that reality, but if it transpires that Janibek never again fights at 160lbs then the winner of Saturday’s contest could yet inherit his status with the WBO.
“Being in the gym; perfecting my style; doing what I do,” Bentley responded when asked how the time since his past fight has worked in his favour. “Defensively; offensively; when to switch the pace; when to turn it up; when to turn it down. Things I had already but I’m getting better at – the way I control things in the ring. I know where I am in the ring. I know I’ve been a pro for a long time, but I ain’t been boxing for years – I didn’t have a long amateur career. The more I’m in the ring, the more experience I get, and when you’re getting ready for a fight you’ve gotta focus, specifically, on that fight, whereas I’ve had nothing to get ready for, but I’ve still been in the gym.
“So I’ve just been taking time, working with my coach, even on the pads – certain shots, and certain movements. Practising it in the spar without the pressure of getting it right instantly ‘cause there’s a fight coming. Sometimes, when things ain’t working, you have to forget it and focus on what you can do ‘cause of the fight. So I’ve put things together and learned and can pace the rounds a lot better. Just a lot of boxing, man – a lot of boxing.
“I feel like I’m flowing – I’m not just doing it in vain. I’m someone that spars anyway – not always heavy, but trying to stay focused on that spar, doing a lot of rounds, is quite hard at times. But now I have a reason to, so I’m automatically locked in. I can feel that difference, and I like it when I feel that difference when I’m training – it’s that nice little switch.
“I could get in that ring and start itching and you see the old Denzel and everything I’ve done has just gone out the window and I’m just scrapping again. But my discipline, my focus – you’ll see more disciplined performances from me, moving forward.
“I can’t wait to get out there and perform, man. The levels have switched – I can just feel it. I’m sparring guys you spar and it’s just – it’s a different level. My mind’s switched on but I need to be able to take this into it with me and not get too hyped up about the fight. I’ve got to be able to control it, and I’ll be able to do that as it goes on – I’m quite a reserved person, but that adrenaline and stuff can, yeah…
“Last year when we were meant to fight I was watching him quite a lot. I was looking at him; trying to find what to capitalise on and what not to do. When that fell through I stopped – I didn’t want to just drown myself in watching this guy and nothing coming of it. I’m getting back to watching him, but I’ve seen quite a bit of him; a few of his last fights.
“He’s really good. He’s relentless. The pressure’s good. He’s active. He’s someone who throws a lot of punches; wants to get in close. He could be a bit of a challenge. I’ve just got to be switched on for 12 rounds.
“Defensively he’s quite leaky. His footwork ain’t the best. But he does make up for it with his work-rate.
“I’m definitely gonna win this. It’s all about timing, man. If I was in this position a year ago it’d have just been an eliminator – it wouldn’t be for the interim. This would have happened and he would have got banned and we’d be in no-man’s land. Everything’s worked out the way it’s meant to.”
