By Declan Taylor
When Nathan Heaney’s hand was raised at the Manchester Arena in November last year, the world went dark for Denzel Bentley momentarily.
The Londoner had been heavy favorite to retain his British middleweight title against Stoke’s popular challenger but the belt was lost after 12 rounds in Manchester and Bentley’s career suffered the biggest setback to date.
He wasn’t in the race that night, there was no doubt about it, and the only question immediately afterwards was ‘why?’ This was a man who had crushed many other home opponents but just couldn’t make a dent in an inspired and motivated Heaney.
Bentley had hinted at problems behind the scenes, suggesting he did not want to be in Manchester this week but refused to make excuses. He didn’t want to take the shine off Heaney’s crowning moment by revealing what had been going on in the weeks leading up to the fight.
But the reality is that his world was rocked as his training camp reached its prime, and in an exclusive interview with Boxing News, Bentley revealed how his first The premature arrival of the son put the ball in the most difficult period. of his career.
“So, I was in camp, there was a fight, everything was done, everything was good and my wife was pregnant,” Bentley recalls. “The baby was born in the last week of November but he came six weeks early. That means I was deep in the camp, for the last three or four weeks.
“But he was so early that he wasn’t healthy. He was in intensive care, his lungs weren’t fully developed because he was so early. The way he came was sudden, at a baby shower, boom. Three days later he came.
“I was in the hospital and they were telling me that if they had left him for half an hour, he could have died. I thought, ‘This is mental’. Now my mind has cooled but I started this fight. So I’m trying to balance being a father, helping the Mrs. and everything in the fight preparation. Everyone is telling me to do everything I wanted to fight too. But I didn’t want to lose a moment.”
Nathan Heaney nails Denzel Bentley during their fight at the AO Arena on November 18, 2023 in Manchester, England (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
This meant that Bentley was living on little more than hospital food and stress, hoping that if he could just lose weight he could carry himself to victory no matter what. But Heaney had other ideas.
“For me it was gym, hospital, home, gym, hospital, home for the last three weeks of camp, the most important weeks,” Bentley added.
“Now I’m going to Manchester and I can’t see my son, I’m just wondering if he’s okay, what’s the midwife saying? How’s my ma’am? So when I was saying I’m in Manchester But I didn’t want to be there, I really didn’t want to be there.
“In my mind I thought I was going to win the fight and then explain it because it was very difficult and it was something I hadn’t been through before. But when I wasn’t allowed, I thought I would. Keep your mouth shut and don’t make excuses.
“I took a step back and held onto that loss for as long as I needed to but now that I’m back on track I can articulate it a little better.”
In the end, Bentley lost by majority decision in the biggest upset of the entire year in a British ring. But a lot has changed in the 11 months since. Heaney lost the belt to Brad Pauls while Bentley got his career back on track with second-round knockout victories over Danny Dignam and then Derrick Osaze at York Hall. And after his perilous introduction to the world, Bentley’s son, now approaching his first birthday, is perfectly healthy and happy.
“He’s fine now,” Bentley says with a big smile. “He’s happy, he’s in a good place and I’m seeing his little features, his laugh and stuff, so now it’s beautiful. He sleeps well… or at least I sleep well with him. So I really don’t know if her mom lets me break with sleep and training.
“Being in the gym and accepting the situation I was in and being with my son, knowing that everything was fine put me in a better place anyway. When I was training after that, I realized That I enjoy it and that the loss wasn’t so bad.
“I needed those two performances and I needed them like that – outrageous and explosive. I’m happy with the way they went and I wasn’t expecting either of them to go so quickly. If I’m honest, I needed explosive performances and I got them.
“I just needed to show that the loss I suffered was just a bump in the road because of my situation and now that I’m going through it these are the performances I can deliver. Two wins. has put me back in my position and I’ve proven to myself that I can compete at a high level and that’s where I’m going back to.
Denzel Bentley after defeating Danny Dignam in May. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
The nature of his victories certainly suggests that the man who advanced Zhanibek Alimkhanuly in the 2022 12-rounder is ready for the world stage once again, despite his loss to Heaney on November 18. Hamza Shiraz
The pair were heavily linked during 2022 and 2023 and a victory against Heaney set up a showdown with Shiraz for the British title. The Ilford man is now 21-0, 17 KOs European champion and is considered one of the most promising fighters in the division.
But, like Bentley, he is promoted by Frank Warren and the Queensberry boss recently told Boxing News he is open to matching the pair this year, with a slot on the December 21 card. Headlined by Oleksandr Usyk against Tyson Fury.
Bentley says: “I’m No. 2 in the WBO and Hamza is No. 1. It makes sense. I don’t imagine I’m that far away from a world title shot. I think I’m in a good position at the moment and my In my mind I’m thinking ‘world title shot next’.
If it doesn’t happen to Hamza, it’s all on him. I’ve called him, I’ve said I’ll have him before my last four or five fights but he’s on a journey to climb the rankings and everything. I can accept that and appreciate it but now we’re number 1 and number 2 we’re just in each other’s way. I think the next fight is only natural. I think if it doesn’t happen he’s trying to find a reason to avoid it but I want to go past Hamza to get the world title.
“It’s a divide that’s crying out for someone to come and grab it. Hamza probably feels that way, that he’s the guy to do it. I feel like whatever path you take is open. Erislandy Lara is a Great champion but he’s 41 years old. Carlos Adams is a very beatable fighter. But what does he do now? Will it open anyway? I am ready for any call.
Given his desolation in the weeks following his loss to Heaney, which included thoughts of retirement, Bentley’s turnaround is more evidence of how quickly things can change in boxing. He also knows he could be on the verge of a life-changing sum of money for himself and his family.
“If I do it right, everything is set up for him forever,” Bentley says of his son. “I brought him into this world, he didn’t ask me, so I want to secure his future. I want him to have a good life where he doesn’t have to struggle and do what I have to do.” Had to do to do.
“It is upon me now, and all is clear in my mind.”
