Frank Warren is on a mission to entice Zhanibek Alimkhanuly to the UK for a rematch with Denzel Bentley. This rematch holds significant importance as Bentley made a remarkable impression on Saturday at Wembley Arena. He defeated Brad Pauls to become the British middleweight champion, earn the vacant European title, and nearly secure the mandatory challenger status to Alimkhanuly's WBO title. Bentley had previously lost to Alimkhanuly in Las Vegas in November 2022. However, his promoter believes he has matured as a fighter and is ready to showcase his skills in the coming four to five months. This fight will be one of the final significant bouts under Queensberry Promotions' broadcast deal with TNT Sports before their move to DAZN.

Potential Challenges and Considerations

Alimkhanuly's journey to defend his IBF title against Andrei Mikhailovich in Sydney, Australia in October raises questions about how his promoters Top Rank might handle purse bids for a rematch with Bentley. The fact that Mikhailovich fights out of a less influential market and that the October fight was postponed due to Alimkhanuly fainting while attempting to make weight also adds to the complexity. Warren, Bentley's promoter, acknowledges the challenges. "In an ideal world, I'd like to get him here, but it depends on the purse bid situation. He might have to travel, and we'll have to see. It'll be within the next four or five months," he said.

Analysis of Bentley's Performance

Bentley's victory over Pauls was one of his most impressive performances since losing to Alimkhanuly. The main event on Saturday was a highly competitive fight. Brad Pauls came to fight and made it a tough match. Denzel Bentley, a tough old sod as Warren described him, has put himself in a position to be the mandatory challenger. In their previous fight, Bentley could have won, but in the first four rounds, he seemed to be feeling Alimkhanuly out rather than engaging in a full-on fight. He knows what he's up against now and sees this as a great opportunity.

Prospects of the Rematch

Warren believes it's a 50-50 fight. Bentley has been in the ring with Alimkhanuly before and knows he could have won. He's had some issues outside the ring, but if he's at his best, he's a handful for anyone. He's got a good chance. On his day, Bentley is a good fighter and can give Alimkhanuly a problem. It will be an exciting rematch with both fighters having something to prove.