Bell withdraws from return fight

HOLLYWOOD, Florida (CMC):

Jamaica's former world cruiserweight boxing champion, O'Neil Bell, has pulled out of a scheduled return bout against American Domonic Jenkins tonight.

The non-title contest at Seminole Hard Rock Casino should have been Bell's first outing since he lost a world title eliminator to Poland's Tomasz Adamek last year, but promoter Leon Margules told CMC Sport yesterday that Bell pulled out for "personal reasons".

Bell announced late last year that he would be moving up to the heavyweight division after losing his last two bouts in the 200-pound cruiserweight class.

With a ring record of 26 wins (24 knockouts) against three losses and one draw, Bell has been among the world's most prominent boxers in the heavier weight divisions and Margules believes the 34-year-old could make an impact in the heavyweight class.

"He's got a lot of power, a lot of guts and I think he is capable," said Margules, who added the heavy-weight division "doesn't really have much going for it right now".

Undisputed champion

It is now unclear when Bell will fight next. Atlanta-based Bell previously held the International Boxing Federation (IBF) cruiser-weight title after defeating Canada's Dale Brown on points in May 2005.

He went on to become undisputed champion when he defeated Jean-Marc Mormeck in January 2007, but lost a controversial rematch with the Frenchman in March 2007.

He quit against Tomasz Adamek and lost the important IBF cruiserweight title eliminator on April 19 last year in Poland.

With that win, Adamek earned a world title shot against champion Steve Cunningham last month and won on a split decision to become the new IBF cruiserweight king.