Remembering the Supernova: A look at the Career of O'Neil Bell
Remembering the Supernova: A look at the Career of O'Neil Bell
Following his shocking murder, FloBoxing looks back at the specatuclar career of O'Neil Bell.
By Roy Billington
On Wednesday morning, former undisputed Cruiserweight champion of the world, OÂ’Neil Bell, was killed in a botched robbery in Atlanta, Georgia. The news of BellÂ’s death has drawn a number parallels to fellow former champion, Vernon ForrestÂ’s death. Like Forrest, Bell was the victim of a random robbery and both died in Atlanta.
OÂ’Neil BellÂ’s boxing career happened under unlikely circumstances. Bell was born to an impoverished family in Jamaica and as a 5-year-old, the future champion moved to Delaware, where he spent the remainder of his childhood. Unlike many of his contemporaries, BellÂ’s fistic talents were not immediately apparent and his path to stardom seemed like no more than a pipe dream when he moved to Atlanta to take a job working for the UPS, while continuing to train in his spare time.
During his time in Atlanta, Bell decided to give a professional career in the ring a shot and from the day one things would not be easy for the Supernova. While Bell would score a quick victory in his debut fight, heartbreak would be just around the corner. On April 11, 1998, Bell was paired with future African champion, Mohamed Benguesmia in a fight in South Carolina. Coming into their fight Benguesmia, was a unknown making his United States debut, but within minute it would become apparent that he was the real deal as he knocked out the still inexperienced Bell with ease.
When a professional fighter faces a brutal knockout defeat early in his career it can be almost impossible to bounce back, but OÂ’Neil Bell wasnÂ’t like just any other fighter, Bell was made of tougher stuff.
Over the course of his next 14 fights, Bell would knockout every one of his opponents, as each opponent hit the canvas the memories of his loss to Benguesmia subsided and Bell stepped ever closer to stardom. The SupernovaÂ’s first taste of stardom would come in Michael Rush in 2000 to take home the WBA title. Wins over Arthur Williams and Kelvin Davis launched Bell into stardom, but the SupernovaÂ’s coming out party was still almost 3 years away.
As the fights went by, Bell continued to rack up knockouts. Spectacular finishes of Erza Sellers and Sebastian Rothman earned Bell a shot at the consensus number 1 cruiserweight in the world, Jean-Marc Mormeck.
Coming into his fight with Mormeck, Bell was seen as a massive underdog, media members were keen to criticize Bell for a lacklustre performance against Dale Brown a year previous, but Bell would soon shock all naysayers when he put on the performance of his life against Mormeck.
Jean-Marc Mormeck was on a tear when he was booked to fight Bell, the frenchman has won 28 fights in a row and had not been dropped in his professional career, but things were soon to change. Over the course of 10 rounds, Bell used a beautiful cross to catch Mormeck at will. As the rounds went by, Bell continued to land heavy on Mormeck before finishing him with a final barrage of brilliance in the 10th round.
OÂ’Neil BellÂ’s victory over Mormeck lead him to being the 2nd ever unified cruiserweight champion, the only man to have done it before him was the all-time great Evander Holyfield. BellÂ’s performance against Bell would prove to be the best fight of his career, in his next 3 fights he would suffer 3 defeats, including a rematch loss to Mormeck, though Bell would close out his career in a devastating first round knockout victory in 2011.
The death of OÂ’Neil Bell is extremely tragic. The Jamaican star, who had slain some of the best fighters of his generation's was shot down in a senseless random murder while he was simply trying to catch a bus ride home.
BellÂ’s fighting memory will live on, in an era of flamboyance, Bell was a master of the fundamentals, his right straight was a work of art and his power-punches were a thing of beauty. The underdog story of OÂ’Neil Bell may have had a tragic ending but his fighting legacy will stand the test of time.
On Wednesday morning, former undisputed Cruiserweight champion of the world, OÂ’Neil Bell, was killed in a botched robbery in Atlanta, Georgia. The news of BellÂ’s death has drawn a number parallels to fellow former champion, Vernon ForrestÂ’s death. Like Forrest, Bell was the victim of a random robbery and both died in Atlanta.
OÂ’Neil BellÂ’s boxing career happened under unlikely circumstances. Bell was born to an impoverished family in Jamaica and as a 5-year-old, the future champion moved to Delaware, where he spent the remainder of his childhood. Unlike many of his contemporaries, BellÂ’s fistic talents were not immediately apparent and his path to stardom seemed like no more than a pipe dream when he moved to Atlanta to take a job working for the UPS, while continuing to train in his spare time.
During his time in Atlanta, Bell decided to give a professional career in the ring a shot and from the day one things would not be easy for the Supernova. While Bell would score a quick victory in his debut fight, heartbreak would be just around the corner. On April 11, 1998, Bell was paired with future African champion, Mohamed Benguesmia in a fight in South Carolina. Coming into their fight Benguesmia, was a unknown making his United States debut, but within minute it would become apparent that he was the real deal as he knocked out the still inexperienced Bell with ease.
When a professional fighter faces a brutal knockout defeat early in his career it can be almost impossible to bounce back, but OÂ’Neil Bell wasnÂ’t like just any other fighter, Bell was made of tougher stuff.
Over the course of his next 14 fights, Bell would knockout every one of his opponents, as each opponent hit the canvas the memories of his loss to Benguesmia subsided and Bell stepped ever closer to stardom. The SupernovaÂ’s first taste of stardom would come in Michael Rush in 2000 to take home the WBA title. Wins over Arthur Williams and Kelvin Davis launched Bell into stardom, but the SupernovaÂ’s coming out party was still almost 3 years away.
As the fights went by, Bell continued to rack up knockouts. Spectacular finishes of Erza Sellers and Sebastian Rothman earned Bell a shot at the consensus number 1 cruiserweight in the world, Jean-Marc Mormeck.
Coming into his fight with Mormeck, Bell was seen as a massive underdog, media members were keen to criticize Bell for a lacklustre performance against Dale Brown a year previous, but Bell would soon shock all naysayers when he put on the performance of his life against Mormeck.
Jean-Marc Mormeck was on a tear when he was booked to fight Bell, the frenchman has won 28 fights in a row and had not been dropped in his professional career, but things were soon to change. Over the course of 10 rounds, Bell used a beautiful cross to catch Mormeck at will. As the rounds went by, Bell continued to land heavy on Mormeck before finishing him with a final barrage of brilliance in the 10th round.
OÂ’Neil BellÂ’s victory over Mormeck lead him to being the 2nd ever unified cruiserweight champion, the only man to have done it before him was the all-time great Evander Holyfield. BellÂ’s performance against Bell would prove to be the best fight of his career, in his next 3 fights he would suffer 3 defeats, including a rematch loss to Mormeck, though Bell would close out his career in a devastating first round knockout victory in 2011.
The death of OÂ’Neil Bell is extremely tragic. The Jamaican star, who had slain some of the best fighters of his generation's was shot down in a senseless random murder while he was simply trying to catch a bus ride home.
BellÂ’s fighting memory will live on, in an era of flamboyance, Bell was a master of the fundamentals, his right straight was a work of art and his power-punches were a thing of beauty. The underdog story of OÂ’Neil Bell may have had a tragic ending but his fighting legacy will stand the test of time.