Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions are targeting a bout between newly crowned WBO interim middleweight champion Denzel Bentley and Liam Smith.
England’s Bentley collected the vacant interim title with a seventh-round stoppage of Endry Saavedra earlier in April, on the undercard of Deontay Wilder-Dereck Chisora. Bentley, 31, declared himself world champion following his win due to the full titlist Janibek Alimkhanuly being unable to defend his title after being suspended for a year having tested positive for a banned substance.
Bentley’s promoters, Queensberry, are looking at a suitable opponent for his first defense of his title, and BoxingScene understands that they are prioritising a bout with former junior-middleweight titleholder Smith. Smith, 37, held the WBO title from 2015-2016.
He has been competing at middleweight since 2022 and has had success in the division, in particular a fourth-round stoppage of Chris Eubank Jnr in 2023 – before being stopped inside 10 in the rematch eight months later. He has not tasted victory since his first encounter with Eubank Jnr; his past contest ended in defeat by Aaron McKenna in April 2025.
Smith was also in contention to fight British middleweight champion George Liddard earlier in 2026.
