Nick Parkinson reported on December 7, 2024, at 07:02 PM ET. He has been covering British boxing for over 25 years and now brings us the story of Denzel Bentley's remarkable victory.

Witness Bentley's Triumph and Set for a Rematch in 2025

Denzel Bentley's Historic Victory

Denzel Bentley etched his name in boxing history by becoming a three-time British middleweight champion. On Saturday, he achieved this feat with a unanimous points win over Brad Pauls at the OVO Arena Wembley in London. The scores of 117-110, 116-11, and 115-112 clearly demonstrated his dominance. In Round 10, Bentley dropped Pauls, a moment that shifted the momentum. His jab was a lethal weapon, finding its mark time and again, leaving Pauls struggling to keep up.This victory also saw Bentley claim the vacant European title. As the WBO's No. 1 challenger for Janibek Alimkhanuly, he is now in a prime position for a potential rematch in 2025. Bentley's determination and skill were on full display as he overcame Pauls' resurgence in the middle rounds.

The Early Stages of the Fight

In the early rounds, Pauls struggled to get close enough to land punches with any impact. Bentley, on the other hand, was more confident in Round 1 and landed a good, counter right hand as Pauls missed with his big overhand right hands. However, in Round 5, Pauls exploded into life, increasing the pace and getting beyond Bentley's jab to land combinations and a big right hook. He seemed more energised and had more success in Round 6 as Bentley tried to contain him with his jab.But Bentley's movement was better in Round 7. He darted in and out of range, landing shots while maintaining control. Just when Pauls seemed to be taking command, Bentley launched an ambush in Round 10 that unsettled him. This was followed by a thrilling Round 11 as Pauls bravely rallied and went on the attack, but Bentley's accuracy remained consistent.

The Knockdown and the Final Round

The best round of the fight came when Bentley dropped Pauls to his knees with two stinging jabs, leaving Pauls grimacing with his left eye shut. Pauls got up at eight blinking but could not repeat his final round stoppage of Nathan Heaney. Bentley smoothly boxed his way to victory, showing his composure and skill in the face of Pauls' late rally.Also on the bill, former WBO world cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie made a heavyweight debut with a first-round knockout win over Hussein Muhamed. Okolie, from Hackney in east London, sent Muhamed to the canvas with a right hand before the stoppage, impressing in his new division. He weighed in at a career heavy 260 pounds, 60 pounds more than the cruiserweight limit he last made 18 months ago when he lost his world title.Sam Noakes had a more competitive fight as he defended his British lightweight title against Ryan Walsh. Noakes, 27, from Maidstone, won by lopsided scores and remains in a good position for a world title shot in 2025. He is ranked No. 3 challenger for WBO world lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk.