Live on 610AM Sports Radio in Philadelphia, PA with host Sandra Hodges. Sandra Hodges asks Heavyweight Champion Todd McNeil about his fight with former Champ Andre (Killer) Morris who Todd McNeil beat in an upset that people are still remembering.
Sandra: Good Afternoon everyone tuning in. I am Sandra Hodges and I’m your host for 610AM Sports Radio in the city of brotherly love in Philly. My guest on today’s show via telephone is the Heavyweight Champion Todd McNeil. Good Afternoon, Todd!
Todd: Good Afternoon, Sandra and thanks for having me on your radio show.
Sandra: Your welcome and I’m glad that you can take the time out of your busy schedule to do this telephone interview. I wanted to ask you some questions.
Todd: Ask away Sandra!
Sandra: You challenged then Champion Andre Morris for the Heavyweight Title 5 years ago. Can you please tell me what made you have the courage to step in the ring to fight someone who was so dominant in boxing like Andre Morris?
Todd: Actually, I was nervous when I challenged Andre Morris to the Heavyweight Title.
Sandra: Were there any doubts that were in your mind that had you thinking that there was no chance that you could beat Andre Morris for the Heavyweight Title?
Todd: Yes. Andre Morris had such an intimidation on his face, he looked like he wanted to “punch my face in.” I had to give him my best in order to have any chances of pulling off the upset and stop Andre Morris’s undefeated boxing record.
Sandra: What was it like for you growing up Todd?
Todd: I’m originally from Scranton, PA and I lived in Scranton for 13 years. I grew up in an environment where we were taught not to fight. People trashed talked each other but it never led to fist fighting. I moved to Philadelphia where trash talking lead to fist fighting. I lived in Philly for the past 21 years.
Sandra: I’ve read about how you had to deal with bullies moving from the suburbs of Scranton and into the ghetto of Philly. What was that change like for you Todd?
Todd: When bullies used to beat me up, they were of very few words. Either I give them what they wanted, or I got beat down. Getting beat down as often as I did my trainer came to me and said, “Hey kid who are you?” I told my trainer Vinnie, “I’m Todd McNeil!” Vinnie said these very words to me that changed the way that I looked at bullies beating me up. Vinnie said, “You don’t deserve getting the crap beaten out of you every day like this, let me teach you how to fight kid!”
Sandra: Did challenging Andre Morris to the Heavyweight Title motivate you that this is how you and anyone who have been bullied can stand up to bullies?
Todd: Yes. If you let the bully know that you’re not a coward either the bully will back off and leave you alone or the bully will wind up being your friend.
Sandra: Can you tell me what were you thinking in that last round when you won the title against Andre Morris?
Todd: Sure. Andre Morris always sets you up in the corner with jabs and uppercuts, when you are trapped in the corner there is nothing anyone can do. Andre Morris does his famous haymaker. I’ve watched him do this a lot of in his fights. While me and Morris were fighting back and forth, I had Morris up against that corner and when Morris tried to move back, he was trapped against the ropes. I uppercuted Morris and pulled off the upset.
Sandra: That is a wonderful story Todd and come on the radio show again anytime.
Todd: Thank you and will do Sandra.
Sandra: That is all for today with my telephone interview with Heavyweight Champion Todd McNeil. If you want to see the fight that Todd McNeil had with Andre Morris, you will get to read the story about the whole fight online.
