Denzel Bentley faced a crucial moment and delivered an impressive performance.
In a matchup of former contenders, Bentley achieved a second-round stoppage win over Danny Dignum. Bentley scored three knockdowns to close the all-UK middleweight fight at 2:53 of round two at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, UK.
Both boxers had previously fought Janibek Alimkhanuly and suffered defeats. Bentley had a close decision loss to the top-rated middleweight in The Ring, while Dignum was stopped in two rounds half a year earlier.
Prior to this bout, Dignum had secured victories in his last two bouts against lower-ranked opponents, whereas Bentley was looking to rebound from a disappointing loss to Nathan Heaney in November.
Ultimately, Bentley displayed his skills and controlled the fight. The 29-year-old from Wandsworth, London effectively targeted Dignum’s body and head, preventing Dignum from establishing his pace.
Two rapid body shot knockdowns in the second round marked the beginning of the end for Dignum. Despite getting up each time, a final right hand from Bentley caused a cut over Dignum’s left eye and led to the fight’s stoppage.
With this win, Bentley improved his record to 19-3-1 (16 KOs), securing his third consecutive victory within four rounds.
The match was aired live on TNT Sport in the UK.
Jake Donovan serves as a senior writer for The Ring and holds the position of vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
