Janibek Alimkhanuly vs Denzel Bentley – Results & Post-Fight Report

Janibek Alimkhanuly defended his WBO middleweight world title at Palms in Las Vegas, as he took a points win over the game and determined Denzel Bentley.

Janibek (13-0, KO8) had won the interim version of the world title in May, as he knocked out the overmatched Danny Dignum in two rounds, and he was upgraded to full champion status following Demetrius Andrade’s decision to move up in weight.

Bentley (17-2-1, KO14) had been selected as the first voluntary defence of the title for the Kazakh, and came into this one as a two-time British champion, having taken the vacant Lonsdale Belt in May with a split decision win against Linus Udofia, and he defended in September, stopping Marcus Morrison in four.

This was expected to be a one sided win for the champion, but he was given a tough nights work by the Battersea native.

It was a slow start though for the Londoner, as Janibek landed with a left hook that got Bentley’s attention in the opener, and a combination found the mark for the champion in the second. Another big left hand knocked Bentley off balance in round three, and a short right hook just before the bell turned Bentley around as he struggled to get a foothold. Bentley’s wake up call came in the fifth though, and after eating an uppercut, his response was to go on the attack, with an uppercut of his own and a right hand forcing Janibek to retreat.

Accurate shots to head and body won Bentley the sixth, and he also enjoyed a solid seventh and eighth, snapping Janibek’s head back with a right hand. Bentley seemed to get the better of the ninth too, but in the championship rounds, ‘Qazaq Style’ regained his composure, stunning Bentley with a left in the tenth, and his left also did damage in the penultimate frame. In the final round, yet another left hand staggered Bentley, and he went for the kill, but the challenger bravely held on, and made it to the final bell.

Two scores of 116-112, and a too-wide 118-110 confirmed victory for Janibek, but it was by no means an easy win.

On the undercard, Seniesa Estrada (23-0, KO9) made her Top Rank debut, and ‘Superbad’ routinely retained her WBA Minimum Weight world title with a shutout points win against Argentina’s Jazmin Gala Villarino (6-2-2, KO1). Estrada came through by three scores of 100-90.

Lightweight prospect Raymond Muratalla (16-0, KO13) remained unbeaten, as the Californian halted Miguel Contreras (12-2-1, KO6) in the sixth of their scheduled eight rounder.

In the other eight rounder, Carlos Balderas (14-1, KO12) managed a stoppage win with just under two minutes remaining of his lightweight clash against Esteban Sanchez (18-3, KO8).

In six round action, Javier Martinez (8-0, KO2) took a comfortable enough points win against Marco Delgado (7-5, KO5) at super middleweight, while at heavyweight, Antonio Mireles (6-0, KO6) kept up his 100% record with a first round win against Eric Perry (5-1-1, KO5). At super bantamweight, Floyd Diaz (8-0, KO3) scored a fourth round stoppage win over Edgar Joe Cortes (9-7-1, KO1).

In the four rounders at lightweight, Charlie Sheehy (5-0, KO4) took out Markus Bowes (2-1, KO2) in the first, and Emiliano Vargas (2-0, KO2) took a second round stoppage against Julio Martinez (1-1, KO1).