Britain's Denzel Bentley has been elevated to full WBO middleweight world champion after Janibek Alimkhanuly relinquished the title. The Kazakh boxer, who was serving a year-long suspension following a positive drugs test, is moving up to super middleweight, opening the way for Bentley to be recognised as outright champion rather than interim titleholder.

Bentley, 31, had won the interim WBO middleweight belt in April by beating Endry Saavedra on the Dereck Chisora v Deontay Wilder undercard, and now takes over the full title. His professional record stands at 22 wins, three defeats and a draw from 26 fights. The WBO said no mandatory defence had been fulfilled in the division for over two years and named Cuba's Yoenli Hernandez, 29, as the mandatory challenger, while reserving the right to rule later on whether Bentley's first defence must be mandatory or voluntary. Promoter Frank Warren congratulated Bentley, calling it a fully deserved achievement for him and his team.