The super lightweight contest between Omar Figueroa and Antonio DeMarco headlines this weekend’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card. But it was the co-feature matchup of Chris “Nightmare” Arreola and Travis “My Time” Kauffman that made the most noise at Thursday’s press conference in San Antonio, Texas.
Former training partners Arreola and Kauffman got physical amidst a heated exchange of words during the ritual stare downs.
“I went to camp to get ready for your ass to fuck you up,” Arreola said before shoving Kauffman.
Round by Round Boxing caught up with renown trainer Naazim Richardson after the presser and he wasn’t the least bit surprised.
“I told Travis to prepare for that,” Richardson said, who will be in Kauffman’s corner on Saturday.
Arreola, 34, and Kauffman, 30, have a long history.
“Chris and I go way back,” Kauffman said during the press conference. “At least 10 years. We’ve sparred 200 plus rounds… But come Saturday night it’s business, there are no friends.”
Video of the heated Arreola-Kauffman staredown https://t.co/bg2IXUIP6T
— Fight Scribe (@fightscribebox) December 10, 2015
Friendly matters weren’t on Arreola’s mind either. The former title challenger was last seen fighting to a draw against the unknown Fred Kassi. He blamed his recent string of lackluster performances on lethargy.
But this fight has him up and fully dedicated.
“I knew I had to get into shape for you,” Arreola said right up in Kauffman’s face.
Richardson believes Arreola only initiated the altercation to instill some fear into his man.
“If it didn’t happen then we have more to worry about,” Richardson said. “If it didn’t happen, he thinks he’s already on top of you and, mentally, he’s got you. But when you see the young boy ain’t looking scared enough, he’s gonna try to make the young boy a little more afraid.”
Richardson, who has worked with world champions Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins, is convinced Arreola’s reputation is partly fabricated:
“He’s a tough son of a gun. But he ain’t quite the gangster that everybody built him up to be. America wanted an American heavyweight so bad that they gave him some accolades he wasn’t quite prepared to back up yet. They wanted somebody for them Klitschkos.”
Arreola did get a crack at one half of the Klitschko clan. In 2009, he lost to Vitali after taking a thumping that his corner couldn’t stand to watch anymore, calling a halt to the bout after Round 10.
This is the biggest test of Kauffman’s career. Under Richardson’s counsel, he looks to live up to his nickname on Saturday and ultimately do what Arreola could not.
“Chris has had many opportunities and knocked at the door,” Kauffman said on Thursday. “But he hasn’t taken advantage of it. This is a huge opportunity and I’m going to take advantage.”
