Why did Michael Bentt get to fight The Duke for the world title?

[Britkid]

Why the hell did Michael Bentt get this fight?

1. He only had 11 fights. (Not that bad considering Rigondeaux but Morrison was a 40 fight veteran)
2. He was knocked out in the first round of his first fight.
3. Of the 11 fights he had before he fought Morrison only 2 had winning records, Jerry Jones (5-1-0) who knocked him out and Mark Wills who was (14-10-1).
4. Morrison was on a 10 fight win streak (9 KOs), seems like a step backwards.


I was 8 so I don't know a great deal about him but did he really deserve to fight for a world title? Was he that good?

I have no problem with him winning it, that happens, but I question how much he deserved to be in the fight to begin with.

It's ashame that he had to retire after his next fight, because if he was that good we missed out.

Morrison/Bentt was brought in late-ish if I remember correctly to support the Toney bout, which was not selling.

Bentt was known, had a WBO ranking, but was considered a safe option, purely on his defeat, rather than his previous excellent amateur credentials.

Although I am being smart after the event, as watching it on SKY, I too thought Morrison was fighting a bum, and was only watching the bill as it was a chance to see Toney in his pomp in his battle with Whitaker over who was the best fighter in the world pound for pound.