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America is always looking for the next top heavyweight.
So, in a wide-open division in need of some new, native talent, unbeaten knockout artist Travis Kauffman (18-0, 15 KOs) will look to continue his climb up the heavyweight ladder when he takes on the dangerous Tony Grano (15-1-1, 12 KOs ) on Friday, Sept. 18, live on ShoBox: The New Generation at 11 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.
The 10-round heavyweight tussle will originate from the Chumash Resort & Casino and will be promoted by Gary Shaw Productions.
In the co-feature, unbeaten bantamweight prospect Chris Avalos (11-0, 9 KOs) looks to keep his unblemished record intact when he takes on the more experienced Giovanni Caro (12-8-3, 11 KOs ) in an eight round bout.
The hard-hitting Kauffman, of Reading, PA, sports a knockout percentage of 83 percent with all but three of those KOs coming inside of three rounds.
Kauffman, nicknamed “The GW Hope,” made his national television debut on Dec. 5, 2008 on ShoBox when he scored a third round KO over Malachy Farrell. Both heavyweights went down in the first round, but Kauffman mostly had his way en-route to a dominating victory.
Since the convincing win, Kauffman breezed through three lesser opponents before knocking out once beaten William Shahan in his last fight on Aug. 7.
A two-time national amateur champion, the 6-foot-3, 23-year-old Kauffman is taking another step up in opposition against Grano. Kauffman, who is familiar with Grano from his amateur career, knows that his opponent has the will to fight and keep fighting no matter what challenges await him in the ring.
“The kid comes to fight, but he’s one dimensional,” said Kauffman, who has knocked out his last eight opponents. “It’s a step up for me, but it’s a good fight.
With a knockout ratio of over 80 percent, is the hard-hitting heavyweight gunning for a KO?
“I don’t like making predictions and I don’t come looking for a knockout,” Kauffman said. “I let it come natural to me. My last eight fights have been knockouts and I believe some of the guys have been better than Grano.
“People want to see the knockout, they want to see the streak in tact. If follow my game plan, I do expect to knock him out in the later rounds.”
Kauffman, who has never been floored in his career and says the knockdown in the fight round against Farrell was a trip, won’t be overlooking his opponent, who boasts a 70 percent knockout ratio.
“I’ve never been knocked down, knock on wood,” Kauffman said. “I’ve been stunned a few times, but never been on my back. Is it a possibility? Absolutely. This is the heavyweight division.”
The 28-year-old Grano, who as an amateur won the 2005 U.S. Nationals and was runner-up at the 2005 National Golden Gloves, has an equally devastating knockout percentage of 70 percent. The 6-foot-2 brawler’s only loss came against then once-beaten Mark Brown on Sept. 27, 2008.
Since the loss, Grano, of Hartford, CT, has rebounded with a win on Feb. 27 against Jermell Barnes in his last fight. But, the unbeaten Kauffman will be his toughest test to date.
The co-feature pits rising prospect Chris Avalos in a fight against journeyman, but game-tested Caro.
The unbeaten Avalos, of Lancaster, CA , will make his second appearance on ShoBox. In his last fight, on July 31 on ShoBox, Avalos scored three knockdowns in the second round for a TKO victory over Andre Wilson.
Of the 19-year-olds’s nine knockouts, five have come in the first round.
“I go in there with the mindset that I’m going to win,” Avalos said. I really don’t go for the knockout. I just let it come, and if it’s there, its there. If I spend the fighter it’s pretty obvious that I have a chance to knock him out. I just wait for it, I don’t go for it.
“This guy has some experience. He’s a pretty good, pretty aggressive fighter. It’s going to be exciting because we’re both aggressive in there.”
Caro, of Mexico City, Mexico, has only fought twice outside of Mexico and once in the U.S. , a eighth round knockout loss to featherweight title contender Bernabe Concepcion on Sept. 25, 2008.
The 27-year-old will be looking for a knockout victory, as 11 of his 12 wins have come via KO. He’ll be looking to score a quick one against fellow power-puncher Avalos.
Al Bernstein, Steve Farhood and Antonio Tarver will call the ShoBox action. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
For more information on Showtime Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go to the Showtime Sports website at http://sports.sho.com
