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In a huge cruiserweight showdown, Frenchman Jean Marc Mormeck turned the tables on bitter rival O’Neil Bell and beat the American visitor on all three ringside scorecards to once again become the WBC and WBA World Champion in front of 4,000 fans tonight at the Palais des Sports Marcel Cerdan in Levallois Perret, France.
The two met in New York 14 months ago and a raging brawl ended in the tenth round when Bell knocked out an exhausted Mormeck. This time Mormeck fought a smarter fight and reaped the benefits with a win over the hard punching “Supernova”.
From the outset tonight, the pace the two combatants set was simply blistering. Mormeck brought the power early, loading up on everything while Bell looked to box and conserve energy.
Despite a trip to the canvas from a low blow in the third, Mormeck was a whirlwind of short shots in the inside as he continued his campaign of punishment to the head and body of Bell.
But by round six, Mormeck’s all out assault had failed to put Bell out, or even down, and the Frenchman was badly fatigued. It was now time for Bell to turn the tables and the champion exerted his own brand of two fisted pressure, battering Mormeck from pillar to post.
Bell continued his charge through the eighth frame, firmly stamping his authority over the middle rounds. The US tourist floored it during the final stages of the bout but this time Mormeck refrained from brawling with Bell, rather focused on not getting caught with a big shot while trying to pick off the oncoming champion.
The tactic by Mormeck worked and when the scores were read the Frenchman found favor with the judges, sweeping the cards by margins of 115-113 (twice) and 116-114.
Jean Marc Mormeck regains the WBC and WBA Cruiserweight titles with the victory and improves his record to 34-3 (22). Bell, furious with the decision of the judges, slips to 26-2-1 (24).
