Heavyweight prospect Travis Kauffman moved one step closer to legitimate contention with a comprehensive domination of hard-punching trialhorse Chris Koval last night in his hometown of Reading, PA. Kauffman, now 20-1 (16 KO), stopped the 24-7 (18 KO) Koval at 1:19 of the second round to claim the vacant WBF Intercontinental Heavyweight title at the Sovereign Center. The show was promoted by King’s Promotions.

Kauffman vs Koval and Penovaroff vs Thompson weigh-in at Blind Hartman’s Tavern.

Travis Kauffman and Chris Koval were in peak condition at the weigh-in for their fight Saturday night at the Sovereign Center in Reading, PA. Kauffman, 19-1 (15 KO), of Reading, PA weighed in at 224 while Koval, 24-6 (18 KO), of Youngstown, OH weighed in at 258. The Kauffman-Koval fight is scheduled for eight rounds and will be contested for the WBF Intercontinental Heavyweight title. King’s Promotions will promote this fight as part of “Pain on Penn Street”.

Tickets, priced at $65, $50, $35 and $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at Kingsboxing.com, the Sovereign Center Box Office at 700 Penn Street in Reading (610-898-7200) and at all Ticketmaster outlets (ticketmaster.com).

Not since Evander Holyfield reigned supreme during the late 1990s has America had a heavyweight champion to unite behind. As the Klitschko brothers and David Haye vie for dominance in a divisions where the top contenders are anonymous to most Americans, the call for an American challenger grows ever louder.

Travis Kauffman hears those cries as a call to action.

The 24-year-old Kauffman, a native of the rugged Pennsylvania city of Reading, will face Chris Koval of Youngstown, OH this Saturday, May 22 at the Sovereign Center in Reading. King’s Promotions will promote the pro-am boxing event entitled “Pain on Penn Street”.

The Kauffman-Koval fight will be contested for the vacant WBF Intercontinental Heavyweight title. More importantly, it will give Kauffman an opportunity to show the boxing world and his hometown fans why he is one of the sport’s best kept secrets.

“I’ve known I was going to be heavyweight champion of the world ever since my first amateur fight at nine years old,” says Kauffman, who has a record of 19-1 (15 KO). “In 15 years of boxing I’ve been through it all. I’ve been hit by the biggest punchers, danced with the fastest slicksters but I’m still here. I believe deep inside of myself that I’m here for a reason, and that is to become heavyweight champion of the world.”

Unlike most modern American heavyweights who are transplants from other sports, Kauffman had an extensive amateur background that consisted of 64 bouts and was highlighted by a gold medal at the Police Athletic League Nationals. This experience has served him well in the pros, where the 6’3″, 230 pound Kauffman has had to outsmart larger foes on many occasions. He’ll have to outsmart and outslug another bigger foe in Koval, who is 6’4″ and routinely weighs in at 260 pounds. Of Koval’s 24 wins, 18 have come by way of knockout, to go along with 6 defeats.

“I always believed that it wasn’t the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog,” Kauffman says. “The bigger the challenge that is in front of me, the hungrier I get. I have a family, my two sons and my stepchildren that I fight for. I want to provide a better life for them and that motivates me so much. But I also fight for my fans, the people that have always believed in me through thick and thin.

“I’m proud to be an American and I would love to be the man that brings the heavyweight championship back here for good. The Klitschkos are great fighters so it won’t be easy but I never doubt myself for one second. Success only comes before Work in the dictionary so I live, eat and breathe Boxing.”

KAUFFMAN-KOVAL WEIGH-IN
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
FRIDAY at 7:00 pm
BLIND HARTMAN’S TAVERN

The media and public are invited to the official weigh-in for contestants Travis Kauffman of Reading, PA and Chris Koval of Youngstown, OH, who will face off for the WBF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship on Saturday night at the Sovereign Center in Reading. The weigh-in will take place at 7:00 pm on Friday at Blind Hartman’s Tavern located at 2910 Pricetown Road (Route 12 east). Phone number: 610-370-7180.

“Pain on Penn Street” will also feature Reading-based lightweight Van Oscar Penovaroff (4-0-1, 3 KO), welterweight Joseph Judah (5-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, NY, super-middleweight Derrick Webster (5-0, 4 KO) of Glassboro, NJ and the debut of Allentown, PA heavyweight William Miranda.

Tickets, priced at $65, $50, $35 and $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at Kingsboxing.com, the Sovereign Center Box Office at 700 Penn Street in Reading (610-898-7200) and at all Ticketmaster outlets (ticketmaster.com).

Fighting is ingrained deep into the genetic material of Van Oscar Penovaroff. A native of Kailua Kona, Hawaii but now residing in Reading, PA, Penovaroff was an alternate on the 2004 US Olympic boxing squad after 120 amateur fights. He also won the 135 pound world title with the Hawaiian-based X-1 World Events mixed martial arts outfit, concluding with a 4-1 record.

When Penovaroff returns to the ring Saturday, May 22 at the Sovereign Center in Reading, PA, boxing will be the only combat sport on his mind. Penovaroff will be featured in a six-round bout against Jamar “Sandman” Saunders of Atlanta, Georgia on “Pain on Penn Street”, which will be promoted by King’s Promotions.

Fans are invited to watch a public workout on Saturday May 8th 1:00-3:00 pm at the Center Court of Fairgrounds Square Mall. Professional and amateur fighters from Reading and Scranton who will be featured on the May 22nd fight card at the Sovereign Center will showcase their talents and preparations for their upcoming fights and mingle with fight fans. Don’t miss it!