Bell Stops Harmon in NABF/USBA Defense

20.12.03 - By Paul-John Ramos: 28-year-old O’Neil Bell kept his unified NABF and USBA cruiserweight titles with an eighth-round TKO of Derrick Harmon on Friday evening at the Ramada Inn in Rosemont, Illinois. The scheduled twelve-rounder was featured on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights’ concluding broadcast for 2003. Bell, 193, Atlanta, Georgia, overwhelmed the smaller Harmon, 189 ½, Las Vegas Nevada, who was making his cruiserweight debut after a March TKO loss to Dariusz Michalczewski for the WBO light heavyweight title. Bell, a lifetime cruiserweight, repeatedly pinned Harmon against the ropes and landed numerous hard shots on the inside. Knockdowns were scored by Bell in the fourth and seventh rounds before a right-left-right combination in the eighth fiercely propelled Harmon off the ropes and onto the canvas. This third knockdown made Harmon’s corner throw in the towel at 1:41. Bell improved to 22-1-1 (21) while Harmon fell to 23-5 (11).

Bell won his NABF title in January 2001 with a TKO of James Walton. His most recent wins have come against Arthur Williams to unify the NABF and vacant USBA straps, Kelvin Davis, and Harmon. A matchup between Bell and WBC strapholder Wayne Braithwaite is anticipated early next year.