Jamaican World Champion Boxer Bell gunned down in robbery

Former undisputed world cruiserweight champion, Jamaican O’Neil Bell, was shot dead in Atlanta early Wednesday during a robbery, Atlanta police have confirmed.

The 40-year-old, who resided in Atlanta, was alighting from a bus when he was shot and then robbed by two assailants who subsequently escaped. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

A second person, who was unidentified, suffered a gunshot wound to the hip and was hospitalised.

Police are investigating and are seeking the public’s assistance in finding Bell’s killers.

The fighter held the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association and the International Boxing Federation cruiserweight titles in a 13-year career which boasted a 27-4-1 record.

He was only the second boxer after the legendary Evander Holyfield to accomplish the feat of unifying all three titles.

Bell captured the vacant IBF title in 2005 and then shot to prominence when he won the WBC and WBA belts a year later by beating Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck.

He was subsequently stripped of the IBF title after pulling out of a card and then surrendered the WBC and WBA belts after losing to Mormeck a year later.

Bell’s last bout was four years ago when he stopped American Rico Carson 58 seconds into the first round of their bout in Arlington, Virginia.