Denzel Bentley vs. Felix Cash - 24 April 2021

[Ruthless-RKO]

predictions

Who wins the fight? We’ve got our picks in.

Scott Christ (24-7-2)

A really good domestic matchup, one that sees Matchroom’s Cash as the away fighter of sorts on the Queensberry show. Bentley had his struggles the first time out with Mark Heffron in Sept. 2020, but came back from that well in a rematch two months later, stopping Heffron in the fourth round. This is roughly 50/50 to me, and I think comes down to which side executes better; that’s pretty basic, but it really is about the clash of styles. Cash is at his best making things physical and rough, while Bentley is going to want to keep some range, though Bentley may also be the better pure puncher. I’m going to go with Bentley in a close one that possibly begs for a rematch, one that could have gone either way. Bentley UD-12

Wil Esco (25-6-2)

I actually had to do a little homework here on this one. I went and watched some tape on Bentley and nothing about him particularly stood out to me except that I think he can be hit a little easier than he should be for someone with some athletic gifts that likes to fight at range. As for Felix Cash, I don’t necessarily think he’s a dynamo or anything, but I do think he has the potential to force a pace that Bentley won’t favor. Both fighters have been exchanging some heated words leading into this fight, but I just don’t think either of them will be able to score the stoppage and I think if Cash comes out aggressive that could give him the edge on the cards. I’m going to take Cash to win a decision over the distance. Cash UD-12

Patrick L. Stumberg (24-7-2)

While Bentley seemingly shed some of the bad habits that got him into trouble in the first Heffron fight, that apparently vulnerability to being bullied bodes ill against someone with Cash’s power and physicality. At the very least, Cash figures to have more luck pressing the action than Bentley will trying to dominate at range. Cash takes a competitive but clear unanimous decision. Cash UD-12

Lewis Watson (26-5-2)

A real pick ‘em for the British middleweight title inside London’s York Hall. Oooof. In a pre-pandemic world, you’d do well to secure a ticket for this one in Bethnal Green. There’s nothing better than feeling the sweat drip from the ceiling in the atmospheric cauldron, while you’re hanging over the balcony for one of the best views in boxing. The fight itself is a real British banger. Bentley’s been eyeing up his chance against Cash for a while ever since tempers flared in a previous spar. Cash is aggressive and strong at the weight, but Bentley has improved so much over the last couple of years under Martin Bowers and proved his worth over back-to-back fights with Mark Heffron. Bentley seems so confident, has a solid boxing brain and no longer struggles with fights that go the distance. It’s a bigger step up for Cash here and I think the underdog bites. But I say that with zero confidence. Bentley SD-12

And the staff winner is...

We have a draw (2-2)!

[Oiky]

Come on cash

[maverick23]

FW’s best show of the year with a main event I’m really looking forward to.

The closer it’s getting the more I’m favouring Cash. He’s bigger, has better amateur pedigree and I think his stoppage win over Cullen is a bit underrated given Cullen went on to draw with Chelli (albeit must thought Chelli won) and beat Docherty.

I think Bentley’s best win over Heffron is overrated. Heffron has really beat anyone of note himself and seemed completely out of his depth against Liam Williams so I’m going with Cash for a stoppage win in the second half of the fight.

[margaret thatcher]

heffron's done f@ck all and bently couldnt beat him the first time.....bently's reputation comes almost entirely from those fights. personally im not really all that impressed, he''s solid and that's about it

like cash here too, he's always looked pretty good and well rounded, and i think bently will look a bit lost in there at times .it will be evident that cash has the much deeper boxin background

[Twinkle Toes]

Gonna side with Cash. As has been said already, he's better at everything.

Bentley may have enough about him, but I think he'll have to show something that he hasn't so far. The first Heffron fight kind of showed his limit, especially when you consider how much Heffron's record was actually padded.

[JamesPhilips]

I do think Cash is quite easy to hit though.

[MightyWarrior]

Cash slight fave but I hope Denz beats him, he comes over as a decent sort and Cash sounds a bit of a twat, based on their stories of him taking liberties during their sparring a few years ago.

[rd350lc]

Cash slight fave but I hope Denz beats him, he comes over as a decent sort and Cash sounds a bit of a twat, based on their stories of him taking liberties during their sparring a few years ago.

Yup agree with this 100% , looking forward to this and hope Denzel can pull it off .
As one of the other posters said Cash is not that elusive .

[maverick23]

Cash slight fave but I hope Denz beats him, he comes over as a decent sort and Cash sounds a bit of a twat, based on their stories of him taking liberties during their sparring a few years ago.

Yup agree with this 100% , looking forward to this and hope Denzel can pull it off .
As one of the other posters said Cash is not that elusive .

Yeah - he’s fairly easy to hit but he’s a spiteful puncher himself. He strikes me as an on-top fighter who may struggle when he’s up against it. Not sure if we’ll find out tonight though as I think Cash breaks him down.

[JamesPhilips]

Bunce: "I think we're gonna call you the golden boy. Trust me." Oh dear.

[liamlion]

This is a good fight. Really looking forward to this.

Cash looks big at the weight but maybe I’m just mistaken.

[NoScoutingReports]

This is a good fight. Really looking forward to this.

Cash looks big at the weight but maybe I’m just mistaken.

Nah he does look big at the weight to me too, it showed tonight also, bullied Bentley physically.

[margaret thatcher]

no idea why people havent been more up on cash, he's always looked good pretty much

granted i cant understand a word he says, but in the ring he looks a bad dood

[jameswilson]

We take a punt.

We get home advantage.

[liamlion]

This is a good fight. Really looking forward to this.

Cash looks big at the weight but maybe I’m just mistaken.

Nah he does look big at the weight to me too, it showed tonight also, bullied Bentley physically.

Yep. Cash was a size bigger than Bentley and it really did show.

Cash looked like a good sized super middleweight. And he’s a strong physical fighter too.

Cash v Williams or Eubank jr (however unlikely) would be fascinating match-ups.

[knockout]

Yes the size difference was noticeable and I think Denzel mentioned it too in his interview on IFL after the fight.

Weight cutting is a balance and works well when you can get fighters out relatively early, it will be interesting to see what happens with Cash when he gets taken into the championship rounds, Sims’ boys are always fit but will the cut have an impact ?

[CaptainSpacerod]

There would be no better feel good feeling than to see Bentley avenge his defeat at the hands of the well dodgy Felix Cash

Where is Cash, is he keeping a low profile until the Benn fiasco is swept under the carpet ?

[maverick23]

There would be no better feel good feeling than to see Bentley avenge his defeat at the hands of the well dodgy Felix Cash

Where is Cash, is he keeping a low profile until the Benn fiasco is swept under the carpet ?

He went through a lot of stuff over the last couple of years. I thought he was over things but perhaps not.

Got covid badly and ended up in hospital.
Split with his wife.
Several members of his family died in a car accident.
Got addicted to alcohol.

Shame as he looked great against Bentley.

All of the above has been spoken about but people still seem to think he’s been serving some sort of ban.

[margaret thatcher]

being a patient of dr uzzy and in camp with conny will do that i guess

[maverick23]

being a patient of dr uzzy and in camp with conny will do that i guess

Yeah - suppose so.

[CaptainSpacerod]

There would be no better feel good feeling than to see Bentley avenge his defeat at the hands of the well dodgy Felix Cash

Where is Cash, is he keeping a low profile until the Benn fiasco is swept under the carpet ?

He went through a lot of stuff over the last couple of years. I thought he was over things but perhaps not.

Got covid badly and ended up in hospital.
Split with his wife.
Several members of his family died in a car accident.
Got addicted to alcohol.

Shame as he looked great against Bentley.

All of the above has been spoken about but people still seem to think he’s been serving some sort of ban.

Yeah I knew about the car accident, didn’t know he’d hit the bottle. I don’t think he’d look as great if they rematched.

Bentley should have bigger fish to fry anyhow I suppose - his stock rises every time Janibek walks through another opponent. Shouldn’t Frank be getting him better opponents than Nathan Heaney ?

[maverick23]

There would be no better feel good feeling than to see Bentley avenge his defeat at the hands of the well dodgy Felix Cash

Where is Cash, is he keeping a low profile until the Benn fiasco is swept under the carpet ?

He went through a lot of stuff over the last couple of years. I thought he was over things but perhaps not.

Got covid badly and ended up in hospital.
Split with his wife.
Several members of his family died in a car accident.
Got addicted to alcohol.

Shame as he looked great against Bentley.

All of the above has been spoken about but people still seem to think he’s been serving some sort of ban.

Yeah I knew about the car accident, didn’t know he’d hit the bottle. I don’t think he’d look as great if they rematched.

Bentley should have bigger fish to fry anyhow I suppose - his stock rises every time Janibek walks through another opponent. Shouldn’t Frank be getting him better opponents than Nathan Heaney ?

He looked like a beast against Bentley so would always be tough to replicate.

I think Heaney’s a decent fight for Bentley - I’d imagine he’s getting fairly well and must of us would probably it’s not high risk. Middleweight doesn’t have much depth so I’m not sure who’d be a different obvious opponent.

[CaptainSpacerod]

He looked like a beast against Bentley so would always be tough to replicate.

I think Heaney’s a decent fight for Bentley - I’d imagine he’s getting fairly well and must of us would probably it’s not high risk. Middleweight doesn’t have much depth so I’m not sure who’d be a different obvious opponent.

Eubank if he doesn’t fight Benn

[maverick23]

He looked like a beast against Bentley so would always be tough to replicate.

I think Heaney’s a decent fight for Bentley - I’d imagine he’s getting fairly well and must of us would probably it’s not high risk. Middleweight doesn’t have much depth so I’m not sure who’d be a different obvious opponent.

Eubank if he doesn’t fight Benn

Bentley doesn’t have the name value to be a realistic Eubank opponent. Plus he’s on BT so can’t see it.