Bentley (23-3-1, 18 KOs) dropped Shane Mosley Jr. (23-6, 13 KOs) en route to a close unanimous decision victory at London’s Copper Box Arena on what was his debut for Zuffa Boxing.

Although the 31-year-old claimed one of the most significant victories of his career so far, it was a fight that cost him his WBO belt. Bentley had been ordered to face mandatory challenger Yoenli Hernandez, so the WBO stripped him when he decided to press ahead with Saturday night’s fight instead.

Now Bentley wants to ensure he can get his hands on some different middleweight hardware when he returns to the ring next year. 

He said: “I think McKenna or Adames because they are the ones with the titles. I want to fight one of those two next. Next year, either one of those two, they’ve both got their belts. Whoever keeps their strap, I want them next.”

McKenna won his IBF middleweight title when he beat Etinosa Oliha in the main event of Zuffa Boxing 10 in August, but he is yet to arrange a first defense.

WBC champion Adames, meanwhile, has recently joined the stacked middleweight roster at Zuffa and will make his debut in a voluntary defense against Gerome Warburton in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 14.

Bentley added: “When I first joined Zuffa, they just had McKenna and that was the fight I wanted. I wanted that fight for this date, but they said they wouldn’t be ready in time. We can get it cracking next year.”

Bentley also confirmed he would be willing to travel to Ireland in order to secure a shot at McKenna, The Ring’s No.3-rated middleweight.

“Why not, if that’s the situation, then why not?” He said. “He’s the champion; right now I’m not a champion, so I can’t order him where to go. If we got dates and it ends up in Ireland and it suits everybody, then that’s where I’ve got to go. I’ve traveled before. I went to Las Vegas to fight Janibek.”

That was in November 2022, when Bentley dropped a unanimous decision to Janibek Alimkhanuly in what has been the only world title fight of his career to date. Now almost exactly four years on, Bentley feels like he is peaking at the right time.

“I think I’m becoming real seasoned,” he said. “I’ve been a pro nine years now. I’ve had some great fights, ups and downs, and I’m handling myself a lot better as a professional. I think I’m coming into my prime.”