Britain's Denzel Bentley has been elevated to full WBO middleweight champion after Janibek Alimkhanuly relinquished the belt. The WBO said the Kazakhstan boxer, who was suspended for a year after testing positive for a banned substance in December, wants to move up to super middleweight.

Bentley, 31, beat Endry Saavedra in April to become the interim WBO middleweight champion. "Great news for Denzel Bentley," said promoter Frank Warren. "A huge achievement for him, [manager] Martin Bowers and the whole team. Said back in April he grabbed the opportunity when it came, one that was fully deserved. Congratulations, champ!"

Bentley has 22 wins, three defeats and a draw from his 26 professional fights. A WBO statement noted that "no mandatory championship defence has been satisfied in the middleweight division for more than two years" and reserves determination on whether the champion's first defence shall be mandatory or voluntary.

The mandatory challenger for the belt is 29-year-old Yoenli Hernandez, of Cuba.