Kauffman Talks Klitschko-Haye, Arreola, Grano, More

By Ryan Burton

 

Heavyweight prospect Travis "GW Hope" Kauffman (19-1) talks about his upcoming fight with Chris Koval (24-6).  The fight takes place on May 22nd at the Sovereign Center in Reading, PA.  Kauffman talks about the keys to victory and also reflects on his controversial loss to Tony Grano in which he was hit by a low blow and then hit his head against a camera at ringside.  The Pennsylvannia native also gives his thoughts on a potential Klitschko-Haye showdown and more in this exclusive interview found only on BoxingScene.com.

 

BoxingScene.com:  Tell us about your upcoming fight with Chris Koval?

 

Travis Kauffman:  It is a great opportunity for me.  It is for a small belt but its a belt.  It is an opportunity for me to bounce back from my controversial loss.  Chris Koval is tough competition.  He has faced a lot of top contenders like Alexander Dimitrenko, Shannon Briggs, Tye Fields and Bowie Tupou and more.  He has a lot of experience so it is a step up.

 

BoxingScene.com:  What do you think are the keys to victory?

 

Travis Kauffman:  The key to the fight is for me to box him and wait for him to get tired.  I just need to keep pressuring him and break him down.

 

BoxingScene.com:  Do you think your stamina and conditioning will be the main difference?

 

Travis Kauffman:  Oh yeah.  Without a doubt.  Not only that but my experience itself is a key.  Not my experience as a pro because he has more fights than I do but I believe I have more experience with my amateur background.  As a pro he has more experience because of the names he fought.  My huge amateur background I think will separate me from his experience level. 

 

BoxingScene.com:  Looking back at your controversial loss to Tony Grano, how many more fights do you think you need to win in order to get back the momentum you had going into that fight?

 

Travis Kauffman:  I already came back and won an uninimous decision versus a guy named Mike Miller who was the perfect guy to take me to decision.  Looking at the Grano fight I was guaranteed a $100,000 fight after that fight had I won so I had some depression set in.  I had the setback but now I am over it and I have bounced back.  I think after the Koval fight I need two more fights to be back.

 

BoxingScene.com:  Tony Grano has only lost one pro fight to a guy named Mark Brown.  In Grano's last fight he was able to secure a rematch and avenge his loss.  Does that make it more frustrating for you in that you tried to get a rematch with Grano but he won't give you one yet he was able to get the rematch he wanted?

 

Travis Kauffman:  That was frustrating at first but I know why he isn't taking a rematch.  There is a guy named Bob Duffy that was in his corner who made the match happen and his trainer was in the corner and after the fight they all told me that he wanted to quit after the third round.  If it wasn't for them telling him not to quit I would have had the fight.  I think he knows that without a doubt I was the better fighter and that when he hit me in my nuts I lost my momentum.  It definitely taught me a lesson not to take my anger out in the ring and to stay focused.

 

BoxingScene.com:  Do you look at it where if you get the rematch you will take it but if you don't you aren't really worried about it?

 

Travis Kauffman:  Listen if I was the WBC Heavyweight Champion of the world and Tony Grano wanted the rematch I would still take it because I want to avenge my loss.  He beat me but he had to use dirty tactics to beat me.  He was getting outclassed but like I said my inexperience in getting fouled and low blows and not knowing what to do hurt me.  I started getting mad and thats what lost me the fight.  I would definitely take the fight.  I don't care when and where.  I offered Tony the fight before and told them I would fight him for free.  I would give him my purse.  I couldn't keep waiting on him.  They wouldn't sign up for the rematch and I can't put my career on hold so I have to move on to bigger and better things.  If he ever wants a rematch I am here.

 

BoxingScene.com:  Assuming you defeat Koval as planned where do you want to go from there?

 

Travis Kauffman:  First things first is Koval.  I don't want to look past any fighter.  Koval is experienced and he is a puncher.  He has twenty four wins and eighteen of them are knockouts so I don't want to look past anybody.  From there we will go back to the drawing board.  Depending on the win and how quick it is and everything else we will see.  If I knock him out or it goes the distance...I don't plan on it going the distance but we will see.  That will factor in how quickly I jump back in the ring.

 

BoxingScene.com:  At the top of your weight class you have the Klitschko brothers and David Haye.  What kind of shot do you give Haye against either brother?

 

Travis Kauffman:  I like David Haye.  A lot of people count him out but I like David Haye a little bit.  The Klitschko's are just one of a kind.  I give him a better chance versus Wladimir (Klitschko) because Wladimir in the past has shown that he has heart problems but recently he has been looking amazing.  I think besides me becaue

 

BoxingScene.com:  There are rumors of Arreola getting a rematch versus Adamek.  Do you think Arreola can make the adjustments to win?

 

Travis Kauffman:  I hope he can because I am a good friend of his.  I told him from the beginning you have to put pressure on this guy (Adamek) and he ended up trying to box Adamek and I think that is where he lost the fight.  He boxed it from the beginning and Adamek's confidence grew.  After the third or fourth round even though Cris won the fourth, fifth and sixth round, Adamek knew he had control of the fight because Cris was trying to box him.  Once Cris tried to pressure him Adamek was already ahead on the scorecards so Adamek's confidence was up and Arreola shouldn't have let him get to that point.  Adamek looked spectacular in that fight.

 

BoxingScene.com:  Going back to your fight with Koval do you think you will get the knockout?

 

Travis Kauffman:  I don't want to predict anything but I hope so.  I have the power to knock anybody out.  Am I the kind of guy with one punch power no but I am a volume puncher.  I don't rely on my power though I rely on my handspeed.  The punch that hurts you is the punch you don't see coming.  I think that if I listen to my corner and do what I am supposed to do I will knock Koval out within five (rounds).

 

BoxingScene.com:  Do you have a message for the fans?

 

Travis Kauffman:  Don't count me out.  A lot of people in boxing count somebody out after one loss.  You can't count someone out.  Sometimes a loss makes someone stronger and more focused to go for that title.  I want the title even more not that I am saying I didn't want it before.  I just want it even more now.