HOLLYWOOD (Florida), May 21: Jamaican-born O’Neil Bell won a controversial unanimous decision over Canada’s Dale Brown on Friday to capture the vacant International Boxing Federation cruiserweight title. Judges gave Bell the decision by verdicts of 115-113, 116-112 and 117-111. But when the outcome was announced, the crowd booed in disagreement.

“I thought I had the fight - 117-111, that’s crazy,” Brown said.

Bell, who now calls Atlanta, Georgia, home, is likely to seek a unification showdown with France’s Jean-Marc Mormeck, who owns the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association crusierweight crowns.

“Let me go after Mormeck,” Bell said. “Then I will show you who the real champion is.”

Bell improved to 24-1 with his eighth victory in a row, the prior seven by knockout. Bell, 30, went to the 12th round for the first time in his career in his first world title bout.

Brown, who fell to 33-4 with one drawn and 21 knockouts, had not lost in almost three years but he has lost in all four of his championship bouts. The previous losses came to Mormeck, Wayne Braithwaite and Vassiliy Jirov.

Brown staggered Bell with right hands twice in the second round, but the Jamaican stayed standing with the aid of the ropes each time and answered with solid punches in the fourth, opening cuts near Brown’s left eye.

In the final eight rounds, both men battled to the finish, Brown using his jab to great effectiveness and Bell countering with superior power punches.

“He cut me with one shot but he did not bust me up,” Brown said. “I thought I worked harder. He said he wants to give me a rematch and I’m game.”—AFP