This past Saturday night at the AT & T Center in San Antonio, Heavyweight Travis Kauffman (30-2, 22 KO’s) and former two-time world title challenger Chris Arreola engaged in an action packed bout that saw Arreola get a dubious split decision by scores 114-113 twice for Arreola and 114-113 for Kauffman.
Most accounts of the fight had Kauffman getting the decision, which included PBC ringside scorer Steve Farhood.
Kauffman of Reading, PA. pushed the action and landed the more telling blows, which included a knockdown in round three from a jab-right hand combination. The fight validated Kauffman as a player in the division, but he wasn’t satisfied with just a good performance.
“I feel good. I thought I did enough to win the fight. I had it 8-4 or 7-5 in my favor plus the knockdown,” said Kauffman after viewing the fight.
“I dominated from rounds three to nine. I took off ten and eleven as I thought that I was secure with my lead. I dominated the twelfth round and after a three-punch combination, Chris went falling back and it looked like his glove touched the canvas. No matter what, I thought I won the twelfth round. I backed him up the entire fight. I dominated him at his own game.”
Kauffman believes that he won over the crowd, and those in attendance thought that he deserved the nod as well.
“The crowd booed me as I came into the ring and cheered me when I left. I won them over, and I won over the boxing public.”
With the performance, Kauffman should be in line for another significant fight in the first quarter of 2016.
“I spoke to my manager, Al Haymon and he said that bigger things are going to happen for me. Whether it is a rematch or someone else, I am ready for that. I showed that I am a force in the division. I worked for so long for this fight, so I am just going to take a week off and enjoy my kids, and I will be right back in the gym. I am looking to be back sometime between February and April.”
“I appreciate all the fans. The ones that have been with me before the fight one the ones that became fans on Saturday.”
Said Kauffman’s father Marshall Kauffman, “I am very proud of Travis and what he did in the fight Just look at each of them and you could tell who took the beating in the fight. The worst case scenario, the fight it was 6-6 but Travis scored the knockdown that should have gave him the fight. I believe he will get another opportunity. He showed what he is capable of doing.”
