Freshly crowned European middleweight champion George Liddard already feels ready for a shot at a world title. After stopping our own Dario Morello in eight rounds at London’s Copper Box Arena to claim the continental crown, the Englishman said he would be willing to consider a domestic showdown with his former sparring partner Denzel Bentley, the current WBO world champion.
Bentley, who captured the interim title in April by stopping Venezuela’s Endry Saavedra, was elevated to full champion status after the previous titleholder, Kazakhstan’s Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, decided to move up to super middleweight. The British fighter has a professional record of 22 wins, three losses and one draw, with 18 victories coming by way of knockout, testament to his considerable punching power.
Buoyed by his latest victory, Liddard said he was willing to take on any challenge:
“I believe that when I first was coming up in this sport as a prospect, my name was always pushed to the back but if anything, that has pushed me harder to get my flowers and I feel like now, I’m finally getting that. I’m proving why [I deserve it] … if it’s a trip across the pond to go beat some American over there, I’m up for it. If we go to Monaco to beat some French or another European fighter, I’m up for it. I’ll fight anyone. Anytime, any place, anywhere, they can get it.”
The Englishman was then explicitly asked about the possibility of a domestic showdown with Bentley, and Liddard responded:
“Let’s do it, man. I’ll fight anyone. I told you this. He’s got a world title. He can get it. Me and him have shared many rounds over the years. I’ve got a lot of respect for Denzel, he’s a good fighter … I just believe I’m the best at 160 and I’ve got to prove that.”
In the latest WBO rankings, published in July, George Liddard was ranked 14th. It is extremely likely, however, that his victory over Morello, coupled with his European title triumph, will earn him another boost in the rankings. Even if that does not happen, though, the Englishman would still be eligible to be selected by Bentley for a voluntary world-title defense. WBO regulations stipulate that a challenger may be selected from among the fighters ranked in the top 15.