This pattern is reminiscent of another Cuban fighter, David Morrell, who frequently stayed tucked behind his high guard while adversaries threw combinations. This defensive tendency ultimately backfired on Morrell last May, when he was stopped in the tenth round by Zak Chelli in a major upset.
A vulnerability like this must be addressed before facing top-tier opponents. It is highly risky to let a heavy hitter gain momentum and land high volumes of punches, even if the majority of those blows are successfully deflected.
Nevertheless, Bentley has to withstand the incoming exchanges to take advantage of this weakness. During Saturday’s bout, Veron took flush shots that would have easily flattened an ordinary middleweight with a weaker chin, yet he never hit the canvas and kept marching ahead.
Bentley has not demonstrated that same degree of toughness. He suffered significant damage during his losses to Nathan Heaney, Janibek Alimkhanuly, and Felix Cash, with Cash finishing him within three frames. Although he has recently defeated Endry Saavedra, Brad Pauls, Derrick Osaze, and Danny Dignum, none of those opponents are on the same level as Hernandez.
WBO chief Gustavo Olivieri has verified that Bentley is scheduled for a single voluntary title defense prior to his showdown with Hernandez. Liam Smith’s name has surfaced as a potential challenger, despite the 38-year-old veteran dropping back-to-back matches to Aaron McKenna and Chris Eubank Jr., remaining without a win since 2023, and currently lacking a spot in the WBO’s top 15 rankings.
Currently aged 31, Bentley does not require another handpicked opponent for a defense. Having competed professionally for nearly nine years, he has already accumulated substantial wear and tear. Delaying the matchup until 2027 would mean encountering Hernandez at age 32, following even more physical toll from an unnecessary bout.
While that defensive vulnerability provides Bentley with openings to connect with combinations, Sahni’s perspective focuses on just one aspect of the clash. The titleholder will also have to absorb the Cuban’s counterattacks, which, given their past performances, might actually be the more worrying factor.
