Middleweight ready to take risk to force title shot

The pair fight tomorrow, with the middleweights looking to move up the rankings.

Bentley is currently ranked number two by the WBO, behind current number one Hamzah Sheeraz, so a win could potentially set up an eliminator for a world title shot.

The 29-year-old suffered an upset defeat to Nathan Heaney in November last year, and is looking to put together a new run of victories.

Stopping Danny Dignum back in May went some way to restoring confidence, and speaking on Thursday at a press conference for the fight, he insisted he was not looking past Osaze.

“He’s a good fighter,” Bentley said. "You don’t win those tournaments if you can’t fight. I’m prepared and I’m ready to go on Saturday

“I’m looking at him as a dangerous opponent. I know what he brings and I know what kind of mindset he’s in. I know he really wants to come and take this opportunity.

"Like he’s said, it’s his time isn’t it? I’m not looking at it as a step anywhere apart from the step I need to be taking.”

Bentley added: “It’s my job. I’m a fighter. I’m a boxer. When people ask me what I do, I tell them I box. I don’t like turning down fights or not wanting to fight this person or that person. 

“I don’t really fear no-one. It’s a fair fight. If it gets too rough the ref says, ‘Break’, so what’s there to be scared of? I can’t fear another man who’s put in the same work as me.

“[Inactive boxers] are just there for the aesthetics. They’re not there for what it says on the tin. They don’t do what they’re meant to. That’s why when you see a lot of fighters who are inactive, they complain.

"You’re not taking what’s there. I’m not saying you have to but it is part of the job.

“There isn’t a fight that I’ve turned down. I’ve taken a loss and come back stronger. I’m relentless. I’m stubborn. I ain’t achieved what I want to in the sport so the journey is still continuing.”

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