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23/01/2007
Bell-Mormeck and Wlodarczyk-Cunningham rematches coming soon
Edited Press Releases: Tomorrow will the announcement of O'Neil Bell-Jean-Marc Mormeck II for the true cruiserweight championship of the world. The bout will take place in Levallois, France on March 17, 2007. Bell and Mormeck met in one of last year's most memorable boxing matches in the Theater at Madison Square Garden on January 7, 2006. Mormeck started strong and had Bell in serious trouble on several occasions but Bell persevered, avoiding being knocked down during a withering assault by the Frenchman in the early rounds. Bell survived and miraculously found a second wind in the middle rounds. The two combatants traded power shots at will in the seesaw seventh round. Going into round ten, Mormeck had expended so much energy in the early rounds and after a relentless assault from Bell, Mormeck finally hit the deck. The referee counted him out with just 10 seconds left in the round. Bell became the first undisputed cruiserweight world champion since Evander Holyfield in 1988. Ridiculously, the IBF stripped Bell and allowed two others to fight for the vacant belt. Today, the IBF made an even more head-scratching decision by ordering an immediate rematch between Krzysztof Wlodarczyk and Steve Cunningham. Wlodarczyk won the vacant title in November but Cunningham has now been granted the rematch because a "a post-fight urinalysis was not given to either fight as was agreed upon in a pre-fight rules meeting." Upon hearing the news, Cunningham said, “I am very happy with the decision. We knew we were wronged in Poland and I am glad that IBF took the time and did their due diligence to see the matter through. I feel I won the first fight and the second time around I will prove it in a more definitive fashion. I have been training since I returned from Poland. I look forward the rematch.” Negotiations for the rematch will start immediately.
