NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with former top heavyweight boxing contender Jameel McCline.

Known as "Big Time" and standing 6' 6", he retired from boxing in 2012 at the age of 42 with a record of 41-13-3 with 24 KOs.

Now he is running in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Congress in the 20th Congressional District in Florida.

His chief opponent in this primary is the incumbent, the 77-year-old Alcee Hastings, who has represented the 20th Congressional District since 1993. The primary will be held Tuesday, August 26.

We spoke with Jameel McCline by phone Tuesday evening.

"It's definitely a different genre from boxing, but I'll tell you, it's still who I am. I'm fighting for the least, the lost, and the left out," he said.

"When I was fighting for myself and my family, I represented redemption, I represented survival. And now I fight for those who are looking to be redeemed. I fight for those who are looking for survival. So that's why I'm running for the United States Congress in the 20th District."

He did say that there are some similarities between running for public office and boxing, especially in terms of the stamina that is needed. But the issues he is highlighting are more general.

Saying that the incumbent Rep. Hastings has done little for his district, he said they need more federal funds, especially for jobs. At the same time, he said that Broward County, where he is located, has the highest amount of "wrongly convicted" people in the state of Florida.

We also discussed how he entered professional boxing with no amateur career, how that was a factor in preventing him from achieving even more in the ring, how he would support the formation of a federal or national boxing commission and actually be its "poster boy" as a member of Congress, and much more.

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Labels: 20th Congressional District, Alcee Hastings, boxing, Congress, Democratic primary, Eddie Goldman, Florida, Jameel McCline, No Holds Barred