An interesting and potentially fun heavyweight match-up has been announced for March 17 in Reading, Pennsylvania, as Amir Mansour and Travis Kauffman will clash in what should be a fan-friendly fight.
Mansour, 22-2-1(16) was last seen in a thriller, albeit a losing one, with Dominic Breazeale a year ago. In that slugfest, southpaw Mansour scored early damage, decking the future IBF title challenger, before being forced to quit after tasting his own blood, quite literally. Fans didn’t know it at the time of his decision (Mansour really had no choice) to remain on his stool at the conclusion of the 5th-round, but he had picked up one helluva nasty injury – his ripped tongue later needing no less than 36 stitches.
Now aged 44 and ready to return, “Hardcore” knows he needs a win on March 17. In his last-but-one fight, Kauffman, 31-1(23) appeared unlucky to lose a 12 round split decision after his entertaining rumble with Chris Arreola. Kauffman dropped “The Nightmare” and performed well, yet the decision went Arreola’s way – for a while. The decision was later demoted to that of No Decision due to Arreola testing positive for marijuana.
A quick win over Josh Gormley came last September, nine months after the Arreola scrap, and now 31-year-old Kauffman will fight Mansour in his hometown. Kauffman, younger, taller and with a longer reach, is the favourite to win, but Mansour does not in any way look or act his age in the ring (or at least he didn’t, but that Breazeale loss might have taken something out of him) and this one could become a war. And with former champions Steve Cunningham and Kermit Cintron set to feature on the card, fight fans could get a great night of boxing.
The heavyweight collision is the big attraction and there’s a strong likelihood we will see a KO; even if both men have a good chin. How much has Mansour got left, and can Kauffman match that performance he put on against Arreola in his biggest fight to date?