Hernandez promoter says Bentley rejected ‘lucrative offers’ before purse bid

Warriors Boxing Promotions secured the rights to Denzel Bentley’s mandatory WBO middleweight title defence against Yoenli Hernandez with an unopposed minimum bid of $200,000 on Tuesday.

Speaking to BoxingScene after the purse bid, Warriors Boxing president Leon Margules accused Bentley of avoiding Hernandez, claiming the champion had rejected several offers without making a counterproposal during the WBO’s negotiation period.

“Bentley could have made substantially more money if he’d made an agreement with us before the purse bids,” Margules told BoxingScene. “But he showed no interest. We made him several lucrative offers, and he never even submitted a counter proposal. It’s clear he doesn’t want any part of fighting my guy.”

Queensberry Promotions, which has guided most of Bentley’s career, attended the purse-bid hearing but did not submit an offer. Figures circulated after the hearing placed Bentley’s share at either $150,000 or approximately $160,000 before expenses.

Warriors Boxing proposed December 12 and December 19 as possible dates, with Phoenix, Orlando and Las Vegas listed as potential host cities.

Bentley, 31, had sought permission to face IBF champion Aaron McKenna in a unification fight, but the WBO rejected that request and ruled that his mandatory defence was overdue.

Hernandez’s team successfully petitioned for the unbeaten Cuban-born contender to be installed as mandatory challenger. Bentley’s representatives had objected, pointing to Hernandez’s professional experience and the fact that he had neither contested a 12-round fight nor won a WBO eliminator.

The Londoner, 22-3-1 (18 KOs), won the interim belt by stopping Endry Saavedra in the seventh round at The O2 Arena in April. He was later elevated to full champion after Janibek Alimkhanuly vacated the title and moved to super-middleweight following his suspension for PED use.

Hernandez, 29, is 11-0 with nine stoppages and is also ranked No. 1 by the WBA. The two-time amateur world champion faced his toughest professional test on August 22, when he earned a majority decision over Francisco Daniel Veron in Las Vegas.

Bentley now has to decide whether to accept the purse and defend his title in the United States or vacate the belt to pursue another opportunity. Officials connected to the purse-bid process told BoxingScene he had 48 hours to indicate whether he would proceed. He risks being stripped if he neither accepts the fight nor relinquishes the title.

Should the belt become vacant, Hernandez would be in line to negotiate with the highest available contender. WBO No. 3 Vito Mielnicki Jnr could come into consideration after his decision victory over Austin Williams, while second-ranked Tim Tszyu is in advanced talks to challenge WBA champion Erislandy Lara.

“Bentley doesn’t want to fight Yoenli, but somebody is going to have to now,” Margules told BoxingScene.

Bentley could still pursue McKenna without the WBO title. He has also been linked with Zuffa Boxing’s November 7 card at London’s Copper Box Arena, headlined by Chris Billam-Smith and Cheavon Clarke, but must first decide whether to proceed with the Hernandez defence before the WBO deadline.