GEORGE LIDDARD put the misery of West Ham’s opening day defeat behind him to win the European middleweight title.
And now he fancies a London derby of his own against WBO middleweight world champion Denzel Bentley.
George Liddard celebrates his European title victory Credit: BRAN HOLLOWAY
Now he wants WBO champ Denzel Bentley Credit: Getty
Liddard got to the Copper Box Arena – just a few miles away from the London Stadium – to the news that his beloved Hammers were losing to Charlton.
And West Ham’s first game back in the Championship in 14 years ended in a shock 2-1 defeat to their London rivals.
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But Liddard gave the Hammers faithful something to smile about after stopping Italian Dario Morello in eight rounds.
He said: “Honestly, I’m sitting in the reception at Stratford and someone’s like, ‘They’re 1-0 up, seven minutes in.’
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“And I’m like, ‘You’re taking the mick.’ But listen, I knew it couldn’t be a double bad day for us so I had to put things right.
“And let’s hope we don’t stay in the Championship another season, let’s put it that way. It’s been a terrible start, hasn’t it?
“So, but hopefully I put things right for the West Ham fans that walked over.”
Liddard has completed the domestic set after adding the European title to his British and Commonwealth collection.
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World champ Bentley – also a Hammer – was ringside in East London to watch his gym-mate P.A. Gordon draw to Leli Buttigieg.
But he left the arena before Liddard could call him out for a London derby of their own after dominating Morello.
Promoter Eddie Hearn is ready to make the fight within the next year.
Hearn said: “I would be comfortable for him to fight Denzel Bentley next. I believe he’s ready for that fight.
“But at the same time, we’re only going to get better. Denzel, I saw some of his interviews.
“Look, he’s doing what everybody would do in that position, which is, ‘I’ve managed to get the WBO middleweight title, I just want to make money.’
“So he’s like, ‘Tell me what’s the biggest fight.’ And the reality is, there are bigger fights out there at the moment and bigger names internationally than George Liddard.
“But that is a really big domestic fight for London. I mean, you’ve got the WBO middleweight champion from Britain fighting the British, Commonwealth, and European middleweight champion, and they’re both from London. For the WBO middleweight title.
“I mean, that’s history, that’s legacy kind of stuff. So, if the money makes sense for Denzel, I believe he’d take the fight.
“But I do also understand he’s looking at George thinking, ‘Oh, why do I want to give this young whippersnapper an opportunity? I want to fight, I don’t know, Canelo or whoever’s going to bring me in that kind of money that’s going to change my life forever.’
“So, we’ll see, but I think that’s a must-make fight for 2026, but probably likely sort of first half of 2027.”
