Mormeck vs. Bell: The Tank Keeps Rolling
By Julian Kasdin (January 6, 2006)  
Photo © Marty Rosengarten/ HoganPhotos.com
This Saturday, on Showtime, ‘The Tank’ Jean Marc Mormeck, 31-2 (21), faces against O’Neil ‘Give ‘em Hell’ Bell, 25-1-1 (23), in Mormeck’s first defense of his undisputed cruiserweight championship. Mormeck won that distinction by battering Wayne Braithwaite over twelve rounds in April of last year. In that fight we saw the sheer strength and power of Mormeck negate Braithwaite’s supposed edge in punching power. Once again Mormeck is fighting someone with a reputation as a puncher in Bell. Bell has looked less than impressive lately, while Mormeck has had another long stretch of inactivity. Will Bell have enough to dethrone the king, or will the tank run over another overmatched opponent?

O’Neil Bell is a powerful, somewhat awkward, but overall well skilled cruiserweight. He fought twice last year, winning a much disputed decision against Dale Brown, in a fight that many believe he lost, and scoring a very lucky stoppage in his fight against Sebastian Rothmann. All in all Bell had a very bad 2005, and on Saturday this run of mediocre performances could very well catch up with him. Bell must remember he is not as strong as Mormeck, and he should try to box from the outside. Bell is taller, and should use his height and leaner frame to fire quick combinations from the outside while trying to tie up on the inside. The last thing Bell wants is an inside brawl with the physically stronger Frenchmen. Bell should also try to use his power in attempt to keep Mormeck honest, a job much easier said then done. If Bell can combine his height and speed with generating power on the end of his punches he might come up with the formula he needs to outbox the champion.

Mormeck has fought someone similar to Bell recently in Wayne Braithwaite. Mormeck is a strong fighter with a solid chin, and the ability to wear his opponents down over the course of the bout. Mormeck is much better than Brown or Rothmann, and that alone is seemingly enough to give him the win over Bell. Mormeck should impose his strength on Bell, and not give him the ability to box from a distance. Mormeck should force Bell into the ropes and corners of the ring, the same places where he did the most damage to Braithwaite. He should punish Bell to the body, which should slow him down tremendously, possibly allowing Mormeck to force a stoppage somewhere between rounds nine and twelve.

This bout should start out with Bell trying to establish his jab and creating distance between him and Mormeck. As the bout moves into the second and third rounds look to see Mormeck close the distance and really begin to apply pressure on Bell. Eventually Mormeck will have Bell in a similar situation as Braithwaite, and as the bout continues it will become progressively more and more one sided in Mormeck’s favor. Bell has shown over the last year that he is a relatively limited fighter, and Mormeck has shown that he is the best cruiserweight since Evander Holyfield. At the end of the day Mormeck’s skill and power will end up being too much, and he should stop Bell sometime between rounds nine and twelve, which will either lead to his continued dominance of the cruiserweight division, or an eventual move up to heavyweight.
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