Last week, Hamzah Sheeraz was revealed as Queensberry’s middleweight selection for the upcoming 5 vs. 5 battle with Matchroom. Sheeraz will fight Austin “Ammo” Williams in Saudi Arabia on June 1.

If the tournament had taken place this time last summer, two-time British champion, Denzel Bentley, would have been under serious consideration for the 160-pound slot on Team Queensberry.

Bentley was a fighter on the rise, growing throughout an excellent challenge for Janibek Alimkhanuly’s WBO title in November 2022 and then blasting out Kieran Smith inside a round. He fell out of contention last November when Nathan Heaney produced an outstanding performance to outpoint the out-of-sorts Bentley, relieving the Londoner of his British title.

Bentley, 29, is set to get back to business on May 11. He takes on Danny Dignum in a quality battle of former world title challengers.

Three weeks later, Sheeraz and Williams will meet in Saudi Arabia. Bentley is confident of righting the ship against Dignum and then sitting back to enjoy the fight, safe in the knowledge that he is once again back on the path to another big night of his own. 

“It’s a good, good fight,” Bentley told BoxingScene. “I sparred both of them a long time ago, so I don’t want to take anything from that, really. But if I did have to, I’d say Hamzah is the more disciplined boxer. If he needs to cover up and not take clean shots, then he can do that. He’s got long levers, which can cover his body and head at the same time. He doesn’t have to dip. His defense should be quite good.

“Ammo has a left hand. Wow. If Ammo can get close enough to land his shots – and then if he can land them when he gets there – can Hamzah take his power? If he can, he might be alright. If he can’t, he’s gonna be in trouble.

“I know they [Sheeraz’s team] will be looking at the River Wilson-Bent fights thinking that our man did it easier than Ammo did. [Sheeraz stopped Wilson-Bent in two rounds, while Williams managed it in eight.]

“I think I’d lean towards Hamzah because I want him to win – because I want Hamzah myself.”