Top Cruiserweights Face Off in Poland

Ring Magazine’s #3 ranked cruiserweight O’Neil Bell (26-2) faces a daunting task this Saturday as he travels to the industrial heart of Poland to face national hero Tomasz Adamek. The winner gets a shot at Philadelphian Steve Cunningham, the IBF title holder.

During Adamek’s last fight in the Katowice’s Spodek (Saucer) Arena during June of 2007 he tore apart Panamanian Luis Andres Pineda with a seventh round TKO. As you can tell in the embedded youtube video the Polish crowd was feverish and rowdy.

Bell isn’t that intimidated. He’s the higher ranked boxer, he’s already knocked out the #2 ranked Jean Marc Mormeck (before losing the rematch in a decision), and he’s the natural cruiserweight. This is only Adamek’s second fight at 200 since losing big to future light heavyweight superstar Chad Dawson.

Nevertheless in Adamek’s first cruiserweight bout, the Pineda match, he won the IBO belt. Bell’s stated aim for this fight is to re-unify the cruiserweight belts a feat he achieved with his 2006 defeat of Mormeck. When he lost the rematch “What the Hell” Bell surrendered the WBC and WBA title but maintained the IBF crown. Confusing enough?

What’s not confusing is Bell’s pre-fight interview (youtubed by poundforpound.com videos), also embedded here. He’s ready and he’s determined. Hopefully he’ll avoid Clinton Woods‘ supposed fate poisoning fate and stay away from suspect pierogi and bigos while in Katowice.