Tyler Denny eager for 2026 title shot after winning return
Tyler Denny wants a shot at either the British or European middleweight titles next year after rounding off a frustrating 2025 with a comfortable points win over Grant Dennis.
Friday night’s victory at Dudley Town Hall was just Denny’s second fight since losing his European crown to Hamzah Sheeraz at Wembley Stadium 15 months ago and he is hungry to get back in the big time.The 34-year-old joked his manager, Errol Johnson, would soon be blocking his phone calls.
Denny told the Express & Star: “I am going to be ringing him every day asking when the next fight is.
“I think I deserve it. I never got a fight to chance for the British title. George Liddard has it at the moment and I would love that fight.
“There are two French guys fighting for the European and I would love that too.
“I’m 34 now. I am not getting any younger and I want these shots now. I feel better than I did when I was 27. I feel I am in a great place and I have a lot more left.”
Friday’s win was the 21st of Denny’s professional career with the defeat to Sheeraz the only blemish in his next nine bouts.
In front of a raucous home crowd, the Rowley Regis ace was always in command against the 42-year-old veteran Dennis.
Some well-placed body shots had the latter in obvious discomfort in the opening rounds and he looked in trouble in the third before Denny accidentally landed well below the belt, forcing referee Ryan Churchill to halt the bout to allow Dennis to recover.
That incident took some momentum out of Denny’s progress but he continued to land the cleaner shots and was awarded all eight rounds on Churchill’s card.
“I wanted to get him out of there,” said Denny. “I could hear I was hurting with the body shots and then I put one low, obviously.
“After that I was a bit scared to go for them. It was low to be fair but I hurt him with a clean to the body just before and I felt him go. I tried to get him again.
“Fair play to him though. He is a tough guy, a good boxer and it was a pleasure to be in the ring with him.
“I thought I boxed well but sometimes I rushed my work.
“It was just great for me to get back. In front of everyone here at Dudley too, the crowd was great.”
Earlier in the evening, Dudley featherweight Ryan Griffiths claimed the eighth win of his professional career with a tough points win over Liam Fitzmaurice.
The reigning Midland champion was returning to the ring just six weeks after defending the belt with a draw against Lewis Morris.
But while Lancashire’s Fitzmaurice entered the ring with 10 defeats from 10 professional fights, he proved a more than tricky opponent for the home fighter over four rounds.
Griffiths did just enough to take the decision on referee Chris Dean’s scorecard, 39-37, but knew he had been in a contest.
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