Antonio Tarver vs. Travis Kauffman in Play For June 10, 2018

[Ruthless-RKO]

Former world champion Antonio Tarver (31-6-1, 22 KOs) will return to the ring for the first time since August of 2015, when he fought to a twelve round split draw with Steve Cunningham.

Tarver's opponent will be another boxer coming off a layoff - although not as long - heavyweight contender Travis Kauffman (31-2, 23 KOs).

Kauffman saw action in March of 2017 when he lost a twelve round majority decision to Amir Mansour.

The contest took will take on June 10, as part of a special Sunday card at the Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, California. The likely outlet handling television duties will be Fox Sports 1.

Some of the fighters being mentioned for the undercard include prospect Joey Spencer, cruiserweight Michael Hunter, and heavyweight contender Gerald Washington.

Spencer (2-0, 2 KOs), 18 and a highly regarded amateur, turned pro in February and then won again in April.

Washington (18-2-1, 12 KOs) will be fighting for the first time since his TKO loss to Jarrell Miller in July 2017.

And Hunter (13-1, 8 KOs), now back at heavyweight, last fought in April when he picked up a quick decision win over Terrell Woods.

Link

[Mexi-Box]

Actually a good fight. If Tarver is still roiding, he's a huge favorite, though.

[chinarich]

Actually a good fight. If Tarver is still roiding, he's a huge favorite, though.

Not sure Tarver can afford to get caught again, he’s already served several bans hasn’t he?

Regardless, I reckon he has enough left to beat Kauffman...

[Lackeos]

Tarver is 3 years older and 3 years more inactive than he was in his last fight. He is 49.5 years old. I'm pretty confident that Tarver is going to perform worse than most of you are expecting.

[SenorPipino]

He's trying to eliminate some ring rust before supposedly tangling with Fury later this year.

[Ruthless-RKO]

He's trying to eliminate some ring rust before supposedly tangling with Fury later this year.

Likely. He was being named as a potential opponent.

[Mexi-Box]

He's trying to eliminate some ring rust before supposedly tangling with Fury later this year.

That's a tough fight to eliminate ring rust, though.

[gilgamesh]

Kauffman will win. Don't know if anyone noticed but Tarver is just shy of 50 years old.

Kaufman is 33.

In Boxing there is a WORLD of difference between 33 and 49...add on top of that that Tarver isn't a natural Heavyweight, and I'd honestly say I give him very little chance here.

He's not a puncher at Heavyweight. He's not going to be able to maintain a pace to outbox Kaufman.

I don't see how he can win.

This is just an old pug making one comeback too many. We've seen it a million times.

[chinarich]

Kauffman will win. Don't know if anyone noticed but Tarver is just shy of 50 years old.

Kaufman is 33.

In Boxing there is a WORLD of difference between 33 and 49...add on top of that that Tarver isn't a natural Heavyweight, and I'd honestly say I give him very little chance here.

He's not a puncher at Heavyweight. He's not going to be able to maintain a pace to outbox Kaufman.

I don't see how he can win.

This is just an old pug making one comeback too many. We've seen it a million times.

I don’t see the fight as a foregone conclusion. What’s Kauffman’s best win? Vincent Thompson? He has never beaten anyone of note, hasn’t fought in over a year and is coming off a loss to a similarly ancient Mansour.

I think Tarver gets a close decision, although I concede he should hang ‘em up and should never have stepped up to Heavyweight...

[gilgamesh]

Kauffman will win. Don't know if anyone noticed but Tarver is just shy of 50 years old.

Kaufman is 33.

In Boxing there is a WORLD of difference between 33 and 49...add on top of that that Tarver isn't a natural Heavyweight, and I'd honestly say I give him very little chance here.

He's not a puncher at Heavyweight. He's not going to be able to maintain a pace to outbox Kaufman.

I don't see how he can win.

This is just an old pug making one comeback too many. We've seen it a million times.

I don’t see the fight as a foregone conclusion. What’s Kauffman’s best win? Vincent Thompson? He has never beaten anyone of note, hasn’t fought in over a year and is coming off a loss to a similarly ancient Mansour.

I think Tarver gets a close decision, although I concede he should hang ‘em up and should never have stepped up to Heavyweight...

I feel extremely confident that Kauffman is going to win.

I'd say Kauffman's best win SHOULD'VE been Chris Arreola. He got jobbed in that fight.

[Mexi-Box]

Kauffman will win. Don't know if anyone noticed but Tarver is just shy of 50 years old.

Kaufman is 33.

In Boxing there is a WORLD of difference between 33 and 49...add on top of that that Tarver isn't a natural Heavyweight, and I'd honestly say I give him very little chance here.

He's not a puncher at Heavyweight. He's not going to be able to maintain a pace to outbox Kaufman.

I don't see how he can win.

This is just an old pug making one comeback too many. We've seen it a million times.

I don’t see the fight as a foregone conclusion. What’s Kauffman’s best win? Vincent Thompson? He has never beaten anyone of note, hasn’t fought in over a year and is coming off a loss to a similarly ancient Mansour.

I think Tarver gets a close decision, although I concede he should hang ‘em up and should never have stepped up to Heavyweight...

I feel extremely confident that Kauffman is going to win.

I'd say Kauffman's best win SHOULD'VE been Chris Arreola. He got jobbed in that fight.

I was about to say the same, but Arreola hasn't been the same post-Stiverne: II. Arguably lost every fight since then. Didn't watch the Mansour fight. I see a MD, but I won't comment on fights I've not seen. Did Kaufman come close to beating Mansour? That'd be a better win than Arreola if true.

[gilgamesh]

I didn't see the Mansour fight honestly, but I'd pick Mansour to beat Tarver too. I know he's an older fella too, but he's not as used up as Tarver.

[chinarich]

I didn't see the Mansour fight honestly, but I'd pick Mansour to beat Tarver too. I know he's an older fella too, but he's not as used up as Tarver.

I recall seeing the Mansour fight close to the time, I think I had him winning by 3 or 4 rounds, the draw that one judge gave wasn’t particularly credible in my opinion...

[Ruthless-RKO]

I didn't see the Mansour fight honestly, but I'd pick Mansour to beat Tarver too. I know he's an older fella too, but he's not as used up as Tarver.

I recall seeing the Mansour fight close to the time, I think I had him winning by 3 or 4 rounds, the draw that one judge gave wasn’t particularly credible in my opinion...

I think Mansour is a tough competitor. Would love to see him againt a top contender to see what he really hasx

[Like a Boss]

I'm more concerned about Tarver's health than anything else. Pro boxing only months short of your 50th birthday just isn't a good investment on your future well-being.

[Lackeos]

I didn't see the Mansour fight honestly, but I'd pick Mansour to beat Tarver too. I know he's an older fella too, but he's not as used up as Tarver.

I recall seeing the Mansour fight close to the time, I think I had him winning by 3 or 4 rounds, the draw that one judge gave wasn’t particularly credible in my opinion...

I think Mansour is a tough competitor. Would love to see him againt a top contender to see what he really hasx

Have you tried watching Cunningham - Mansour? He fought kind of well, but he got outboxed, busted up, and he knew he lost.

[Andrew]

Why ????...

[chinarich]

I didn't see the Mansour fight honestly, but I'd pick Mansour to beat Tarver too. I know he's an older fella too, but he's not as used up as Tarver.

I recall seeing the Mansour fight close to the time, I think I had him winning by 3 or 4 rounds, the draw that one judge gave wasn’t particularly credible in my opinion...

I think Mansour is a tough competitor. Would love to see him againt a top contender to see what he really hasx

I’m a fan of Mansour but his last chance to become a contender was several years ago. He drew with Washington and lost to Brezeale even though he was arguably ahead before the tongue thing happened. Mansour’s is a nice story for boxing, working himself back into contention after so long away but he’s just a gatekeeper if he decides to continue...

[jamamb]

mansour was getting walked down and beaten by kuzmin , i think hes more like a gatekeeper or stepping stone, someone i could see joyce, hrgovic, etc beating within the next year

[Ruthless-RKO]

Antonio Tarver Aims To Prove Worth, Win Heavyweight Title

Tarver has been training hard with Cuban coach Orlando Cuellar in the Normandy Gym of Miami Beach.

"I've had long periods of inactivity, lost years. At my age, I think I have things to do, my career is incomplete, I want to go back to the ring to show people that I have what it takes, I'm in better shape Never, in a way, during those times where I wasn't fighting did I allow my body to recover," Tarver told George Ebro.

Tarver believes there is more for him to accomplish in the sport, despite being at an age where most of his past opponents have already retired.

"I have that impulse to do more and more, always more, I won the cruiserweight title, I went to Australia to knock out Danny Green, I beat Roy Jones Jr. I think this sport has overlooked the greatest story ever told, my story , a story born out of nothing, I built myself, it hurts me to see how boxing has valued me and I've given my life to this sport, and I want to let you know that they have been wrong with me, that they have always been wrong with me. I'm a real champion," Tarver said.

"I still have that special magic, it's something I can not explain, I only train for the time of the fight, then that magic is triggered, I do not know what I'm going to do, but for some reason that magic is inside me. Nobody thought I was going to knock out Jonathon Banks, that I could fight Steve Cunningham, I want the bigger challenges, because on any given night I can beat whoever," Tarver said.

"There are big dreams, that's why I get up every day, I want to win the chance to fight for a world title, I do not care who is on the other side of the ring, it does not matter what the name is, they will not be fighting alone against me. But against fate, this is my destiny, to be heavyweight world champion.''

[oogiebe]

Kaufman is no pushover. I'm curious what Tarver will do after this fight. He can't possibly think he'd challenge for a HW title match. Maybe CW? Roid on Antonio.

[Gimp Mask]

Anyone remember when Kauffman raped a 12 year old? What happened with that?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anyone remember when Kauffman raped a 12 year old? What happened with that?

When?

[Gimp Mask]

It was a long time ago. I remember hearing about it back in 2007-2008.

[chinarich]

Tarver is out of the fight, apparently, no word on why. Some chap called Scott Alexander fighting instead, no idea who he is...