By Rick Scharmberg
Photo by Darryl Cobb Jr. – dcobbjr.com

By Fightnews.com

Amir “Hardcore” Mansour (22-2-1, 16 KOs) takes on Travis “My Time” Kauffman (31-1, 23 KOs) this Friday night, in what is sure to be a hard-hitting rumble for the vacant USNBC heavyweight title. The bout will take place at the Santander Arena, in Reading, PA, which is also Travis Kauffman’s hometown. “This fight was in the making for a minute,” said Mansour. “We were going to be on the undercard of Deontay Wilder – Gerald Washington, but his father [Marshall Kauffman of Kings Promotions] got the fight in his hometown. I don’t care, because I’m the kind of fighter who will fight you on your front porch!” The bout will be the main event of the Premier Boxing Champions boxing series card, and televised on Bounce TV.

Both Mansour and Kauffman are rebounding from tough losses – in Kauffman’s case, a no-decision – that could have propelled each into possible shots had they won. On December 12, 2015, Kauffman dropped perennial contender Chris Arreola early in their televised match, only to lose a split decision by a single point on one judge’s card. The decision was later changed to a “no contest” after Arreola failed a post-fight drug test. Kauffman followed up with a TKO win over Josh Gormley last September 9, after Gormley suffered a shoulder injury in the second round.

Mansour’s big chance came on January 23, 2016, against then-unbeaten Dominick Breazeale in a bout that was nationally televised from the Staples Center. Mansour displayed his underrated boxing skills in this bout. Fighting out of his southpaw stance, Mansour moved in and out, and mixed his attack to Breazeale’s head and body. He even floored Breazeale in round three. But by then, Amir was damaged goods. He was using an ill-fitting mouthpiece, and suffered severe cuts on his tongue by the second round.

“I had large lacerations that I needed 18 stitches on each side of my tongue. It was painful, and I swallowed a lot of blood,” he explained. “From the second round on, I was holding my breath.” Mansour held a massive 50-44 lead on all three cards, but his injury forced him out of his perfect game plan. Mansour took the action to the much larger Breazeale, and got tagged with a right hand at the end of the fifth round which ripped open his wounds even further, and his corner had no choice but the stop the contest between rounds. The win gave Breazeale a crack at Anthony Joshua’s IBF world title in his very next bout.

As photographer Darryl Cobb’s accompanying photographs can attest, Amir Mansour is one of the fittest 44-year-olds in the world, and his conditioning helped speed up his recovery from the injuries he suffered against Breazeale. “I recovered pretty quickly. I was back in camp by April, and I had a bout lined up with undefeated Canadian Oscar Rivas. We were gonna fight on July 17, but he failed his eye exam.”

When he was asked about his upcoming opponent, Travis Kauffman, Mansour replied, “He has a basic style. We sparred together a few years ago. I like that he continues to press the action, and throws a lot of punches. I like that kind of style in a fighter. He likes to stay busy.”

Mansour still holds out hope for a world title shot. “A win is supposed to put me in line for a title shot. I won the USBA title before. The NABO, NABF, I won every junior title out there, but I didn’t get my shot. I hope this time I get it,” he said.

Mansour has great respect for two of the three heavyweight champions. “I respect the champions, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua. To be honest, those are the only two champs I respect as world champions. I don’t even know who the other champion is,” he said in reference to WBO champion Anthony Parker. “Deontay Wilder has been defending his title like a true champ, and Anthony Joshua took the title like a true champ.”

Amir went on to give his opinion on the upcoming Anthony Joshua – Wladimir Klitschko mega-fight, and he expressed his thoughts on Joshua, as well as former champion Tyson Fury. “Joshua wins all day,” he said. “I am a big fan of Anthony Joshua. He is very respectful, and a solid champion. He has a great attitude, and shows humility as a world champion. He’s a big kid, and is level-headed. He is able to embrace fame and handle it well.”

He then spoke a little about Tyson Fury, whom Mansour held in little regard a few years ago. His opinion has changed. “Tyson Fury, fame and fortune destroyed the kid. I didn’t like him at first, but I will take no shots at him now. I really feel bad for him. He worked his ass off in the gym, and went on to beat Klitschko. He was unable to handle the fame, and that’s very sad to me.”

Closing out, Mansour was asked, without looking beyond his fight with Travis Kauffman, who he would like to fight in anyone’s top-10. Never one to take the easy road, Mansour replied, “I want the title. I’ll fight any of the champs. My style is disciplined. Joshua or Wilder, I would flip a coin.”