Hernandez, The Ring’s No. 2 middleweight, scored a majority decision over Francisco Daniel Veron in the co-feature of Teofimo Lopez-Rolando Romero on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Afterward, WBO President Gustavo Olivieri posted on X that Hernandez will be enforced as the mandatory challenger for middleweight titleholder Denzel Bentley.

Olivieri added that Bentley (22-3-1, 18 KOs) is permitted a voluntary title defense before having to face Hernandez. Bentley, 31, won the vacant interim WBO middleweight title with a seventh-round stoppage of Endry Saavedra on April 4.

He was elevated to full titlist this summer after Janibek Alimkhanuly vacated the belt to move up to super middleweight, and was named the mandatory challenger for Hamzah Sheeraz’s WBO title.

Hernandez (11-0, 9 KOs), of Camaguey, Cuba, touted his 10-round contest with Argentina’s Veron as a “valuable experience." Veron (17-2-1, 10 KOs) gave Hernandez, 29, the most resistance since he’s emerged as a contender at 160 pounds, including connecting with a left hook late in the fifth round that sent him reeling to the ropes.

Hernandez’s efficiency and power shots ultimately told the tale. He landed 200 of 649 total punches (30.8%), including 122 of 387 power shots (31.5%), according to CompuBox. Veron, 27, landed 105 of 809 total punches (13%) and 45 of 303 power shots (14.9%).

Hernandez entered the fight ranked No. 1 by the WBA and WBO and No. 2 by the WBC.

“I liked that Verón was the type of fighter who applied pressure,” Hernandez said. “That’s exactly what I was looking for in an opponent. It was really good for me to face a fighter like that.”