McNeil wins Mid South Junior
Middleweight title in Tunica

By By Carver Rayburn / staff writer
May 1, 2003
TUNICA Much like the "Italian Stallion" in Rocky I, Clint "Hands of Steel" McNeil was given a rare chance at a title shot. The ending of this reality series was slightly different from that of the movie.
McNeil recently knocked out Troy Smith of Covington, Tenn. in the eighth round to obtain the Mid-South Junior Middleweight Championship.
The road to the championship was an irregular one that most boxers don't go down. The Meridian native was injured in a car wreck about two years ago and had just recently gotten back into the sport that he so deeply loves and enjoys.
McNeil was scheduled to fight Damien Turner on the original card, but when the young boxer arrived in Tunica for the weigh-in, there was something missing. An opponent.
For undisclosed reasons, Turner was a no-show and it seemed that McNeil had wasted months of training and a four hour trip to Northeast Mississippi' Sam's Town Casino where the fight was to take place.
McNeil would go on to prove that weight was no concern of his as he rocked his opponent with a flurry of punches and a tremendous punch in the eighth round to claim the victory and the title.
The McNeil-Smith bout was the main event on the card which was promoted by Bryan Young and according to David McNeil, the stands were sold out and a crew of supporters from Meridian made the trip to cheer on his son.
What about the no-show, Turner?
David McNeil went on to talk about upcoming events for his son, Clint.
Hopefully, opponents will not make it a common practice to not show-up for a fight with McNeil, but then again, it may be just as well for them to stay at home.