AJC Article

INSIDE BOXING

BYLINE: J.C. CLEMONS
DATE: July 20, 2003
PUBLICATION: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA)
EDITION: Home; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SECTION: Sports
PAGE: E15

Atlanta cruiserweight's title fight sidetracked

Bobby Hitz pulled a neat juggling act the other day. The Chicago-based boxing promoter conducted an interview by cellphone -- while riding his motorcycle.

His next trick should not be as tough.

Hitz, who promotes No. 1-ranked cruiserweight O'Neil Bell, has the Jamaica native and Lithonia resident in line for a title shot against WBC champ Wayne Braithwaite.

With Vernon Forrest and Evander Holyfield having fallen, Bell can stake a claim as king of the local boxing hill.

But the IBF has ordered Bell into a rematch with Kelvin Davis. In May, Bell scored an 11th-round TKO of Davis in a brutal battle on ESPN. A month later, the IBF declared that Bell (21-1-1, 20 KOs) ended the fight with a shot while Davis was down.

Bell's camp, as well as the referee and Oklahoma boxing commission, saw it differently.

"Davis was on his way back up when O'Neil hit him again," Hitz said. "How is O'Neil to know this guy is not going to come off the floor with a haymaker or something? It's really unfair. O'Neil Bell can't play judge and referee and fight at the same time. . . . But we're on our way to a world title, and that's what I'm fighting for."

The WBC mandated title bout, tentatively set for October on ESPN, will likely take precedent over a Davis rematch. But Bell, ranked No. 1 by the IBF and WBC, wants to stay in the IBF's good graces. If IBF champ James Toney, who fights Holyfield in October, were to his belt, Bell could take on No. 3-ranked Virgil Hill for that crown.

The next level

Promoter David Oblas, who along with partner Austin Wingo and fellow promoter Steve Collins have led a resurgence of Atlanta boxing shows, moves his August card to the Tabernacle.

The previous shows were at the 1,000-seat Roxy.

"There are about 1,800 seats at the Tabernacle, and the view is a lot better for fans," Oblas said. "By doubling the venue, this is another big step for us."

Over the past year, 10 cards have been held in the city, and just about all were sold out.

"Atlanta remains a 'small-venue' boxing community," Georgia Boxing Commission director Tom Mishou said. "I would not be surprised to see this growth continue. [But] for some reason we have not been successful in attracting the big-name promoters -- Don King, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lou Dibella -- who generally want to get local investors to help them with overhead."

As always in boxing, it's about the money.

"For major TV fights, the venues are able to offer promoters site fees up front," Oblas said. "We've built up a fan base, and Atlanta fighters want to fight here."

Briefly. . .

Atlanta heavyweight Cedric Boswell (21-0, 16 KOs) is set for the Holyfield-Toney undercard with Kirk Johnson (ranked No. 8) and Jameel McCline (No. 13 IBF, No. 14 WBA) as possible opponents. . . . Also, local middleweight Robert Allen (35-4, 26 KOs), who is ranked No. 1 by the IBF and No. 3 by the WBC and WBA, is pursuing a shot against WBA champ William Joppy on the same card. . . . Rising Atlanta welterweight Paul Delgado (7-2), who upset previously unbeaten Wilmer Torres last month on ESPN2, has signed with East Coast-based promoter Jimmy Birchfield. . . . Ranked strawweight Nina Ahlin, a former Falcons and Georgia Force cheerleader, has moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, modeling and trying out for the Lakers cheerleading team, while continuing to box.