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Bell staying put: Undisputed cruiserweight champ O'Neil Bell said he intends to remain in the cruiserweight division rather than move up to heavyweight -- unless something major comes along.
Bell
"I feel that there are a lot of options out there, especially the one that I really want to have: Mr. Antonio Tarver, if he would step up to the plate," Bell said of the light heavyweight king.
"If not, if there's an attractive fight at heavyweight, I'll do that and I will move up. But my primary goal is to bring the limelight and everything I can to the cruiserweight division. I believe this is a bona fide division that demands respect. We are heavyweights, but in a smaller fashion."
Bell became only the second fighter in cruiserweight division history to become undisputed champion -- joining Evander Holyfield -- when he scored a Jan. 7 upset in New York by knocking out Jean-Marc Mormeck to unify the division.
If Bell stays at cruiserweight, he has a mandatory due against top contender Steve Cunningham, who stepped aside in order to allow the Bell-Mormeck fight to happen. Cunningham won a fight on the undercard and is next in line for a title shot.
"I'm here to bring respect back to the division, so if possible, I'm going to fight all my mandatories, whether it's Steve Cunningham or whoever it may be," Bell said.
Bell, however, appears to be ducking another contender, Dale Brown of Canada. Bell outpointed Brown last May to win a vacant belt, but the decision was one of the most controversial of the year.
"As for Dale Brown, he's beneath me," Bell said. "I don't see why I have to go ahead and make a definitive statement when he should have been knocked out the first time, but he ran throughout the first fight. But if I'm antagonized into fighting him, I will definitely make it his last fight."
Bell
"I feel that there are a lot of options out there, especially the one that I really want to have: Mr. Antonio Tarver, if he would step up to the plate," Bell said of the light heavyweight king.
"If not, if there's an attractive fight at heavyweight, I'll do that and I will move up. But my primary goal is to bring the limelight and everything I can to the cruiserweight division. I believe this is a bona fide division that demands respect. We are heavyweights, but in a smaller fashion."
Bell became only the second fighter in cruiserweight division history to become undisputed champion -- joining Evander Holyfield -- when he scored a Jan. 7 upset in New York by knocking out Jean-Marc Mormeck to unify the division.
If Bell stays at cruiserweight, he has a mandatory due against top contender Steve Cunningham, who stepped aside in order to allow the Bell-Mormeck fight to happen. Cunningham won a fight on the undercard and is next in line for a title shot.
"I'm here to bring respect back to the division, so if possible, I'm going to fight all my mandatories, whether it's Steve Cunningham or whoever it may be," Bell said.
Bell, however, appears to be ducking another contender, Dale Brown of Canada. Bell outpointed Brown last May to win a vacant belt, but the decision was one of the most controversial of the year.
"As for Dale Brown, he's beneath me," Bell said. "I don't see why I have to go ahead and make a definitive statement when he should have been knocked out the first time, but he ran throughout the first fight. But if I'm antagonized into fighting him, I will definitely make it his last fight."
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