LEVALLOIS-PERRET, France—Promoter Don King arrived to good news in Paris on Sunday when he was told by local promoters from the Levallois Sports Club that the rematch between defending World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association cruiserweight champion O’Neil “Supernova” Bell and former unified cruiserweight world champion Jean-Marc Mormeck on Saturday at the Palais des Sports Michel Cerdan in nearby Levallois-Perret has sold out.
“It is great to be back in France and great to hear the French boxing fans have gobbled up all 4,000 tickets for this rematch of one last year’s best fights, which took place at the Mecca of boxing, Madison Square Garden,” King said. “Viva Le France.” Both fighters arrived in Levallois-Perret, a suburb of Paris, on Sunday to make last-minute preparations..
Bell (26-1-1, 24 KOs), originally from Jamaica and now a longtime resident of Atlanta, trained in Big Bear, Calif., while Mormeck (32-3, 22 KOs) from Point-a-Pitre, Guadalupe, France, now residing in Rosny-sous-Bois, trained in the south of France.
Bell became the first undisputed world cruiserweight champion since Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield held that distinction in 1988 when he knocked out the unified cruiserweight champion Mormeck on Jan. 7, 2006.
“I knocked out Mormeck in the 10th round in our first fight last year,” Bell said, “but I still feel I have something to prove. He caught me a few times in the early rounds before I came back to win it. I want to show I can dominate him from the beginning.”
Bell’s longtime trainer James Plenty had some advice for the Mormeck camp.
“I hope they aren’t trying to change this guy,” Plenty said of the Frenchman. “Mormeck did about as well as he could against O’Neil in the first fight. If they try to make adjustments it will only mean O’Neil will defeat him more quickly.”
Mormeck vs. Bell was nominated by the prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America as one of the five best fights in the world during 2006.
Their first meeting included a sensational round seven that Dan Rafael at ESPN.com said was “an exhausting round just to watch,” that he recognized as a candidate for Round of the Year.
Mormeck started strong and had Bell in serious trouble on several occasions. Bell persevered, avoiding being knocked down during a withering assault by the Frenchman in the early rounds. Bell miraculously found a second wind in the middle rounds.
The two combatants traded power shots at will in the epic, seesaw seventh round, leaving the Garden crowd on its feet when the bell sounded.
Going into round 10, Mormeck still held the lead on one of the judges’ scorecards (86-85) but had expended so much energy in the early rounds building his lead that he appeared ready to founder. One of the two fighters had to succumb, and it was Mormeck who lost the war of attrition. In the waning seconds, after a relentless assault from Bell, Mormeck finally hit the deck. Referee Wayne Kelley counted him out with just 10 seconds left in round 10.
Mormeck, known for providing aesthetic quotes, has sided with the thoughts of his promoter.
“I side with the thoughts of my promoter Don King,” Mormeck said. “Victory will soon be upon us.”
Mormeck has brought in veteran trainer Richie Giachetti to join his team for this match.
“We reviewed what worked and what did not work from the first fight,” Giachetti said. “If Jean-Marc follows the game plan we’re confident he wins the fight.
“We beefed up his training regimen so he can remain strong if the fight goes into the later rounds.”