By Jim Dower: Former IBF/WBA/WBC cruiserweight champion O’Neil Bell (26-4-1, 24 KO’s) was shockingly stopped in the 2nd round on Saturday night by 39-year-old former WBA light heavyweight interim champion Richard Hall (30-8, 28 KO’s) at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, in Hollywood, Florida.

Hall hurt the rusty Bell with a big left hand in the 2nd round and then opened up with a salvo of shots that caused the referee Samuel Burgos referee to step in and halt the bout at 1:58 of the 2nd round. For the 36-year-old Bell, this was has his first fight in the past three years and his third straight defeat.

Bell at one time held the IBF/WBA/WBC cruiserweight titles after beating Jean Marc Mormeck by a 10th round TKO in January 2006. Mormeck and Bell would fight again a year later with Mormeck avenging his defeat by beating Bell by a close 12 round unanimous decision.

Bell then took another year off from boxing and returned in 2008 and was stopped by Tomasz Adamek in an 8th round TKO loss. That was Bell’s last fight before Saturday’s loss to Hall. In hindsight, Bell probably should have taken on a softer target for a tune-up bout rather than the tough as nails Hall.

Hall has been around boxing for a while now, having fought and lost to fighters like Roy Jones Jr., Glen Johnson, Dariusz Michalczewski , Shaun George, Rico Hoye, and Yordanis Despaigne. Hall has beaten some good fighters during his career with wins over Julian Letterlough and Byron Mitchell. Before last night’s fight, Hall’s last fight was a year ago against Despaigne in May 2010. Hall lost that fight by a lopsided 10 round decision.