WBO orders Alimkhanuly–Bank talks as Bentley–Hernandez heads to purse bid

Denzel Bentley’s mandatory defence against Yoenli Hernandez is heading to a purse bid next week, Bad Left Hook reports. The WBO has also ordered negotiations between Janibek Alimkhanuly and Jacob Bank for its vacant super middleweight title.

Denzel Bentley and mandatory challenger Yoenli Hernandez are heading to a WBO middleweight title purse bid next week, Bad Left Hook reports.

Bentley has been upgraded to full champion after winning the interim belt with a seventh-round stoppage of Endry Saavedra in April. That was his fourth successive victory since losing to Nathan Heaney, with three of those wins coming inside the distance. Hernandez beat Francisco Veron last month to extend his unbeaten record to 11 wins, nine by knockout.

At super middleweight, the WBO has given Janibek Alimkhanuly 15 days to negotiate a fight with Jacob Bank for the vacant title. Hamzah Sheeraz vacated the belt ahead of a looming meeting with Alimkhanuly, while second-ranked Diego Pacheco is occupied with Darius Fulghum.

Bank, ranked third by the WBO, has stopped William Scull and Paulinus Ndjolonimu and beaten Pawel Augustynik by a shutout unanimous decision this year. He has won all 20 of his professional bouts, 11 by knockout. Former middleweight champion Alimkhanuly is also unbeaten, with 17 wins and 12 knockouts.