Oneil Bell - Contributed

Gordon Williams, Contributor

Undisputed world boxing champion O'Neil "Supernova" Bell has won his bout with the law, and now the Jamaican is returning his full focus to next month's crucial cruiserweight title defence.

"I get a chance to show the people that my name has always been free," said Bell, holder of the World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) titles, after learning that a charge of suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon levelled against him earlier this month by a sparring partner had been dropped last week.

"It's a chance in itself to continue the positiveness."

Bell, who had been booked by the San Bernardino County sheriff's department and later released on $50,000 bail, is concentrating on his March 17 title defence against Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck in Paris.

Charges

"The district attorney said he is not going to press any charges," said Bell. "I'm free."

The San Bernardino County district attorney's office confirmed that it would not proceed with the case against Bell, citing lack of evidence.

"We will not be filing criminal charges," said district attorney Gary Roth.

Meanwhile, Leon Margules, executive director of Warriors Promotions, while expressing relief that the case had been dismissed, also explained that Bell's participation in the fight was never in doubt.

"It (the incident) doesn't affect the fight from our standpoint," Margules said on Saturday. "They (organizers in France) were nervous at first and they were calling, but I assured them that everything is O.K."

Larry Slayton, who was brought to the training camp in Big Bear, California to work as Bell's sparring partner, had accused the champion of throwing a hatchet and stones at him while the two were on a training run. Slayton said he had to flee through bushes to escape Bell and suffered cuts and scrapes as a result.

False accusation

However, Bell, who was born in Montego Bay, but currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, had always maintained that a proper probe would prove Slayton's accusation false.

"They investigated and found out that (the charge) was all fictitious," Bell said on Saturday from his camp.

The 32-year-old Bell won the WBA and WBC belts from Mormeck by knocking out the Frenchman in Jan. 2006. He admitted that the Slayton incident had caused a ripple of concern in his camp. However, he now claims it has been put on the back burner.

"No hindrances," Bell said when asked about the effects of the legal tussle on his fight preparations. "But to be great you have to struggle."

Bell, who holds a ring record of 26 wins, one loss and a draw, on Saturday said he was enjoying his second rest day since training started in California four weeks ago. He hired a sparring partner to replace Slayton shortly after the incident and so far that has worked well.

"Training is good," he said. "Everything is on target."