Boxing

Denzel Bentley becomes British middleweight champ after Mark Heffron retired on stool because of HORROR eye injury

SE Team

Published

14th November 2020

DENZEL BENTLEY became the new British middleweight champion after a gruesome stoppage win over Mark Heffron.

Bentley forced a fourth round TKO after a continued barrage with the right hand saw Heffron’s eye close SHUT.

Denzel Bentley (left) is the new British middleweight champion after a TKO win over Mark Heffron

Mark Heffron’s eye was swollen completely shut with the referee waving off the fight at the end of the fourth round

The referee and doctors waved off the fight with Heffron unable to open his left eye.

The pair had fought to a draw just two months ago but Bentley looked a level above at the BT Sport Studios in Stratford.

The pair were even in the first but Bentley began to land right-hand bombs, with swelling showing as early as the second round.

In the third and fourth – and with Heffron’s eye closing rapidly – Bentley was able to land heavy punches at will, inflicting yet more damage to the eye.

Bentley threw his right hand with pinpoint accuracy

The referee waved off the fight at the end of the fourth round with Heffron unable to open his eye

Bentley said: “It feels good man, this is my first title

“I’m from the Fisher (amateur club), with a load of British champions, Terry Downes, Lloyd Honeyghan, Ted Cheeseman, all Fisher boys, so I am going to follow in their footsteps.

“I knew I was hurting him with the right hand, I saw the reaction and put him on the backfoot.

“The last fight, he didn’t go back once, but the last fight I wasn’t putting my shots together like that, I thought I could move and win it a bit easier.

“This time I knew I had to stay there, hold my ground and put in the big shots. I felt stronger, I felt better in the gym. I knew if I held my ground, I knew I would be able to take him out.”