Travis Kauffman

Travis Kauffman (b August 21, 1985 in Reading, Pennsylvania) is an American heavyweight boxer nicknamed 'The Great White Hope'.

Career

Travis Kaufmann (whose father Marshall is a boxing trainer and promoter in Pennsylvania) started boxing at the age of nine, and had his first amateur bout at fifteen.A natural righthander who changes stances occasionally in midfight, his amateur record as a super heavyweight was 56-12. He won the national Police Athletic League tournament in 2004 and was subsequently listed as the #1 ranked amateur super heavyweight. He was defeated by Travis Walker in the semifinals of the National Golden Gloves in 2003 . In 2005, Travis won two amateur tournaments and lost one. Travis later lost on points, 24-12, in the finals of the United States Amateur Boxing Championship to Mike Wilson. He won the Jose Theo Aponte Amateur Boxing International Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico, defeating Nagy Aguilla by decision, 32-14, for the gold medal. In the USA versus Azerbaijan Amateur Boxing Tournament held in Chicago, Illinois, Travis won the gold medal in the final by decision.He turned professional at age twenty. As of 2008, his professional record in the heavyweight division is 11-0 with eight kayos. In his most recent bout on June 26, 2008, at the Main Street Armory in Rochester against Octavius Smith, Kauffman scored a technical knockout at 45 seconds of the first round.

Kaufmann has a two year old son, Travis Kaufmann Jr., with whom he is very close.

The Great White Hope

Over the course of time, the term 'The Great White Hope' has been reserved for outstanding white fighters in their attempt to either gain or regain the World's Heavyweight Boxing Title from a black world champion. The best known bout involving this claim occurred when former world champion Jim Jeffries, who retired undefeated, came out of retirement and was stopped in the fifteenth round in his 1910 bout against world champion Jack Johnson. The following are the best known fighters who have been billed as 'The Great White Hope', three of which held the world heavyweight title or at least a share of it:

James J. Jeffries (1875-1953) Fought 1895-1910, Record 17-1-3, 14 Kayos, Held Title (Undefeated as Champion, Comeback Title Bout Failed)

Rocky Marciano (1923-1969) Fought 1947-1955, Record 49-0, 43 Kayos, Held Title (Undefeated as Champion)

Duane Bobick (1950-Present) Fought 1973-1979, Record 48-4, 42 Kayos, Heavyweight Amateur Champion, Beat Larry Holmes in Amateurs

Gerry Cooney (1956-Present) Fought 1977-1990, Record 28-3, 24 Kayos, Lost Two World Title Bouts

Tommy 'The Duke' Morrison (1969-Present) Fought 1988-Now, Record 52-3-1, 42 Kayos, Held Share of Title (Claimant)

Travis Kaufmann (1985-Present) Fought 2006-Now, Record 10-0, 7 Kayos, Super Heavyweight Amateur Champion

Legal Troubles

On March 18, 19 and 29, 2004, Kaufmann was observed and later charged with selling marijuana to undercover police officers in Reading, Pennsylvania. He remains free on bail regarding these charges.In March 2008, he was found innocent by a jury of indecent assault stemming from a 2005 incident.

External links

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* Video Clip of Amateur Highlights http://www.spike.com/video/2688420?cmpnid=783&pt=bk&refsite=10636
* [http://www.secondsout.com/interviews/index.cfm?ccs=528&cs=20271 Seconds Out article]
* [http://unlimitedfightnews.com/wordpress/?p=7 'The Great White Hope' Travis Kauffman 2007 interview with Rich Bergeron]