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12/22/2003 Archived Entry: "Bell Wants Braithwaite in March"
Bell Wants Braithwaite in March
By Juan C. Ayllon
Chicago, Illinois - Following his spectacular, eight round stoppage of Derrick Harmon this past Friday night, O’Neil Bell fielded questions in a very jubilant and noisy locker room. During the course of the interview, he said that he is scheduled to fight WBC World Cruiserweight Champion, Wayne Braithwaite in March 2004.
The CBZ: From my vantage point, it just seemed like you were less stiffer and as the fight progressed. You appeared more relaxed and got in your groove and just turned it on.
O’Neil Bell: Going into this fight I had a neck injury. I didn’t want anyone to know. I had a pinched nerve, a pulled muscle, you know. I’ve been in rehab for like five days, just working through it. Handler: Before the fight!
OB: Before the fight, you know. So, I just warmed up and I thought it was able to sustain the punches.
The CBZ: Against Derrick Harmon, did your extra size work to your favor? Did you try to stay out of the center of the ring? When you had him up against the ropes, it really seemed to work to your favor.
OB: Like I said, he came in at 189. I really don’t know if he wanted to go there. I know I weighed more. He came up from light heavy. So my game plan was to take his legs, push him and walk him back to sap his energy. In the later rounds, that’s when I waited for the knock out. If I kept it in the middle of the ring, he was a very good boxer. I had a little bit of difficulty, but I could have figured him out. So, I used the best thing coming, which is my power, walk him back to the ropes and break him down.
THE CBZ: When forced him into the ropes, that’s where he had trouble. He was trapped when you had him up against the ropes. You had him up for some very extended periods of time.
OB: Well that’s his character. You know, he paid for it. He covered up...it was very, very slowly to connect…[my corner] wanted me to keep them short, keep them short. When I was loading up, the punches weren’t connecting quite flush. So, I just threw them out and a three-inch punch took him out. Three inches took him out—not no five, six feet away—but three-inch punch took him out.
THE CBZ: And that was what? Left right left?
Handler: It makes no difference.
OB: The left right, left right left.
Handler: It makes no difference. Now, I’m just three to four inches short, because you’re hitting with everything. You’re hitting him with—
OB: Derrick Harmon was a very good fighter, a very crafty fighter; he fought Roy Jones 12 rounds.
Handler: Moving up to cruiser did him a little bit better because, you know, he been straining down and sweating down. Believe me, Derrick looked good, he was strong—
OB: I gave him the credit, I gave him the credit!
The CBZ: I noticed that you seemed to grow in more in confidence and relaxed as the bout progressed. I think it was the beginning of the sixth or seventh round that you winked at him just before you came out and took it to him.
OB: Well, that kind of was like a head game. You know, he was in shape, I was in shape, but I was going to let him know that I’m a better man. So, I take him to the fight. You know, it’s a pleasure for me to go in there, go up in later rounds. So, if I kept it serious, I was too tense, but once I cracked that smile, he knew who was up here. He saw a champion in me. So, I unloaded everything I had to put on him.
The CBZ: Were you ever hurt during this fight?
OB: No, I wasn’t. I was stunned, but I recovered quite well. You know, I was able to cover up. You know, I did show my toughness. I took it fine. I showed him that I was there…I took his punches and didn’t give up.
The CBZ: Well, I noticed his body shots just before you turned it around. He seemed to be starting to come on and then, all of a sudden, out of nowhere—boom! You just nailed him.
OB: You see, I was able to capitalize; he started going to the body, I went back to the body. I finished strong. I wanted to have the last punch in the combination to let him know that I’m still there. He’s not going to assert his dominance on me.
The CBZ: What do you see next for you from here on out?
OB: Well, I see the stars—I see Braithwaite. I see Braithwaite. I mean, that’s my ideal goal right now. He’s talking big trash, so I just want to take him out of the picture. So, share the world that I’m worthy. I’m not going to show him anything. I just want to collect my belt like I’m rightfully due for the WBC, then move down the road. If any other champions want to step down or step up from the light heavyweights, I’m there for the challenge.
THE CBZ: So, coming off this tonight, you feel like you’re ready for a title fight?
OB: Oh, for sure! I’ve been working on it all my life, five years of this game. You know, I mean, I’m prepared for it. I’m pretty confident. I’m pretty confident in my team, my promoters. I never run from anyone. I mean, you can check my background. The majority of these cats would not have ever fought the opponents that I have fought.
THE CBZ: Have you talked with James Toney yet?
OB: Nah. We talked about a year ago, I mean, and comments…and everything were made in an interview. But, we never really put anything in stone and, evidently, the money wasn’t right, so I wasn’t about to take the fight. Toney’s a great champion. I would love to fight him someday, but for some really serious cash flow. When I put my life on the line—I’m sure he is, too—he’s going to meet me head on; I’m going to do the same. A collision is going to happen. Somebody has to pay for the hospital bill, to cover everything. You see what I’m saying?
THE CBZ: You mentioned you want to fight Braithwaite. Now, do you see any step up fights in between, like maybe two, three, four fights and then the championship?
OB: No, I’m going straight for it. Like I’ve said, I’ve been off for six, seven months. There’s no need for me to take any more fights. We inked an agreement to fight no later than March. So, we’re looking at like the third week of March. The third week of March, the fight’s on a triple-header on a Don King Promotion. We’re going to take a week off, we’re right back in the gym working my system, five/two and I made a little bit of mistakes, you know…I gave him too much kind of heat and I gave him too much confidence for him to last that long.
