His head seemed to hit the canvas before the rest his body. When he rose, just before referee Joseph could reach eight, his legs were unsteady and it was apparent his head wasn’t quite clear.
Joseph gave Robinson’s gloves a quick wipe on his shirt and backed off. There were a full two minutes left in the round - an eternity for a shaken fighter.
Described by one writer as being elated but incredulous to the upturn in his fortunes, the blood rushed to Ohio sharpshooter’s head, as he stormed after Robinson. Ripping hooks and right crosses, all intended to finish matters on contact, Bell’s punches became a little looser and wider. Robinson immediately back pedaled, desperately ducking and dodging the frenzied attack before holding on tight when Bell got too close.
The fans were on their feet, urging the underdog on. With Robinson in full scale survival mode, Bell’s chased. With a little more composure, Bell might have been able to capitalize further, but slowly Robinson became steadier, and a little surer, and when the final bell rang was not just surviving, but gamely firing back.
Trying to capitalize on the events, and test Robinson’s resolve, Bell came out intent to keep the pressure on. Having rediscovered the composure that eluded him during the frantic push to end matters moments earlier, Bell mixed his attack nicely, using his jab, and going hard to the body.
Robinson tried to re-establish himself in the fight with his jab and keep the action as a comfortable distance, but Bell’s pressure was unyielding. Shaking off whatever Robinson threw; he kept coming forward, and just before the round ended, landed another hard left hook. The punch shook Robinson, but there was no time to follow up.
The next two rounds were also carried by the determined efforts of Bell, who kept shuffling forward, letting his hands go while never taking a backwards step. He once again managed to stagger Robinson, this time near the end of the fifth round with a right cross to jaw.
With a third of the fight in the books, Bell had a clear upper hand – however a slight shift of momentum took place in the closely contested sixth. Robinson managed to bloody Bell’s nose, which bled freely for the rest of the bout. Still Bell had his moments, and just before the bell, landed a grazing left hook, followed by a clean right hand.
Then came the decisive seventh round.
After being forced onto his back foot for much of the fight, Robinson went on the attack. He met Bell head on, and unleashed his full repertoire of dazzling offensive skills, including a relentless hooking assault to the body. Those whip like hooks, digging into Bell’s midsection, finally cracked the Ohio man’s resolve to not move backwards. Sensing his chance, Robinson drove Bell into the corner, where a left right combination late in the round buckled Bell’s knees and had him holding on.
When Bell left his corner out for the eighth, some of the fire appeared to be gone, but he still came out pressing the attack. Softened up and a little slower, but still willing and determined, he was easy pray for Robinson’s punishing counters, and soon was being hammered all over the ring. At one stage, the besieged Bell slipped to the canvas after ducking to avoid a left hook.
In the ninth round, Bell used his jab to good effect, and managed to back Robinson off a little with two hooks to the body. It was only a momentary respite however, as Robinson quickly resumed his assault, and Bell continuously got the worst of the exchanges.
Finally, in the eleventh round, after landing several damaging hooks, Robinson followed up a double left hook combo, with a crunching right hand. The barrage sent Bell toppling to the canvas.
Bell struggled to his feet at the count of 8, but by all accounts, looked a thoroughly beaten man, and Robinson went all out for the finish. He battered his unsteady rival all over the ring, but when the bell rang, Bell was still on his feet.
The twelfth was a one sided barrage.
Just about everyone in the Garden felt Robinson would finish matters, as he unloaded his full arsenal on the exceedingly game, but near helpless Bell.
Robinson wailed away in a bid for the knockout, ripping hooks and right hands to the body and head, as he sent his tottering opponent staggering all over the ring. Through it all, Bell somehow stayed upright. He clutched and grabbed and used his jab as best he could to fend Robinson off, prompting one reporter to refer to Bell's amazing survival act as a miracle of ruggedness.
Coming out for the thirteenth, Bell’s face was a gory mess. His lower lip and nose swollen and bleeding, and his eyes puffy from the pounding he’d received. Robinson looking fresh by comparison was not completely unscathed, sporting cuts around both eyebrows.
Barely able to maintain his footing through the previous three minutes, most expected Bell to resume his survival tactics, yet he discarded the jab and grab of the previous round, choosing to crowd Robinson on the inside, while winging hooks to the body. There was nothing sharp or precise about what Bell could muster, but it was stirring, gutsy stuff that brought the crowd to its feet, and won him the round on the scorecards of many ringside observers.
Bell followed up his effort of the thirteenth, by continuing to bore in and swing away, while Robinson responded with the more precise return fire. Opinions were split on who won the round, with some preferring Bell’s haphazard aggressiveness to Robinson’s accurate counters.
While both men were running on fumes heading into the fifteenth, Robinson hadn’t absorbed close to the same amount of punishment, and had a little more snap in his shots. He again seized control of the battle, catching Bell repeatedly throughout the round. He just didn’t have enough left in the tank to amp up the power on his punches, and couldn’t put Bell into further duress. As the two exhausted fighters battled to the final bell, the appreciative crowd roared their approval.
The crowd applauded, as the two fighters received congratulations from their camps, while awaiting the official result. In the minds of most observers, there was not much doubt over who the winner was, but as with all competitive fights, there’s still a palpable tension in the air while the scores are being tabulated.
“I’m the champ, George.” Robinson said to Gainford as they stood in the corner. Gainford warned him not to be so certain.
After a few minutes, the cards were handed to ring announcer Harry Balogh, who read the verdict.
Referee Joseph and Judge Arthur Schwartz both had Robinson ahead by scores of 10 rounds to 5, while Judge Jack O’Sullivan had Robinson in front by 8 rounds to 6, with one round even. Loud cheers greeted the unanimous decision, although a few scattered boos could also be heard.
The ringside press was in complete agreement with Robinson winning the decision, and with the sentiment that Bell had performed courageously in defeat.
As congratulatory cries rang down from the balcony, tears welled up in Robinson’s eyes.
He’d finally done it. The king now had his crown.
(by Andrew Fruman)
........................................
Dec 20, 1946
Madison Square Garden, New York
"Sugar Ray Robinson reached the pot of gold he has been hunting for five years by coming on in the middle rounds to outpoint Tommy Bell and win the world welterweight championship in Madison Square Garden. Robinson weighed 146½; Bell 146. The Harlem stringbean, known for five years as the uncrowned champion, finally got his shot at the crown this time and hit the jackpot, but only after the roughest, toughest going he has ever gone through in his career, as the rugged Youngstown, O., Negro walked in and belted away from start to finish of the 15-round slugfest. Loser of only one fight in his career of 75 trips to the post—and that one to a middleweight—the uptown thumper had to come off the floor from a second round knockdown to finish in front." - Associated Press
