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AMIR MANSOUR VOWS TO CHOP DOWN TRAVIS KAUFFMAN TO AVOID "HOMETOWN COOKING"; TALKS UPCOMING CLASH

By Percy Crawford | March 16, 2017
AMIR MANSOUR VOWS TO CHOP DOWN TRAVIS KAUFFMAN TO AVOID

"Nobody can take my shots. If I land a clean shot on your ass, that's it, you outta there, but I can't always keep going looking for the knockout. But this guy is my size. I'm chopping down these big ass trees. I've always been pretty successful against guys my size. At the end of the day, the only thing that concerns me in the least bit is that hometown cooking shit with the judges," stated heavyweight contender Amir Mansour, who talked about his upcoming clash with Travis Kauffman. Check it out!

PC: The big fight against Travis Kauffman is here on Friday night. How has everything been with you?

AM: Everything is cool, man. I got one last, real good workout in on Tuesday. This fight is going to come down to…nobody can take my shots. If I land a clean shot on your ass, that's it, you outta there, but I can't always keep going looking for the knockout. But this guy is my size. I'm chopping down these big ass trees. I've always been pretty successful against guys my size. At the end of the day, the only thing that concerns me in the least bit is that hometown cooking shit with the judges. That's the only thing that I'm worried about. Other than that, I know I did everything that I needed to do in camp.

PC: And that kind of puts you between a rock and hard spot because in one sense, you're saying you don't want to always go for the knockout and in another sense, you don't trust the judges scorecards, so it's a tough spot for you.

AM: Exactly man!

PC: You have been dealing with some crazy weather as well. Did that have any affect on your training regimen at all?

AM: Yeah! Actually, like I said, Tuesday was the last hard workout and it didn't snow anything like they predicted it would do. Now we're on our way to the press conference and it's snowing now. I done did my homework and the final exam is Friday. I've been studying all motherfucking year long. These next couple of days of bad weather isn't going to bother me much. I got my man Danny Davis with me and really, from here on out, it's nothing really to do but stay sharp on the pads and shit like that. I may hop on the treadmill a couple of times for some sprints and stuff, but for the most part, man, unless Allah decides he's going to send that brimstone and fire down here on us, God willing, man, weather is going to be the last thing on my mind.

PC: You were supposed to fight this fight on the Deontay Wilder card. It got pushed back until March 17th. Would you have preferred it stay on the Wilder card?

AM: I would have liked to fight him on the Wilder undercard because it's just more logical to set a fight up if the winner is going to get Wilder. Usually the people get a glimpse of what Wilder's next opponent will look like on his card. And then to be on the undercard of the heavyweight championship of the world versus out here in no man's land, fucking Reading, PA, I would prefer to be on the champ's undercard. And then too, it was on neutral ground way down in Alabama. I'm from Jersey and he from Reading, PA and I wouldn't have had to worry about the hometown cooking and all of that crazy mess. But I spoke to you about it before it even happened. These people think that a person is slow or dumb, but you can bare witness to it/ I told you that they were going to do this before they even did it.

PC: You definitely called me and told me they were going to pull the switcheroo on the card and venue. Are you to the point in your career where you almost don't ever expect a fair shake or expect the deck to be stacked against you?

AM: Oh, for sure, man. I mean, you gotta think, man, a lot of my fights been like a lower title fight. Realistically speaking, I haven't had any bums. I haven't had any bums in front of me. Every time I fight, I gotta get up for a big fight. I don't get no tune-ups and the luxury of the tune-up that a lot of these guys get, you know what I mean? I haven't gotten that, and to be honest with you, I really don't want it. I'm a boxing fan, man. I'm a boxing fan. I am a big-hearted boxing fan. I love and enjoy boxing and I don't ever want to be a part of a boxing card or a boxing show where you're watching a very talented fighter fight a bum. I don't want to be a part of that anyway. In essence, it sounds good to have an easy day at work, but at the end of the day, I'm 44 years old, man; I ain't got time for that little boy stuff. Just put me in there with the best and allow me an opportunity to accomplish my goals and my dreams. And I just don't think you can get there by fighting bums. I've always asked for the best. I've always said I don't want to fight nobody but the best because I don't want to fight no bums. I've always said that, I've lived by it, and I've done it and I will continue to do it.

PC: You have a great deal of respect for Travis' trainer, Naazim Richardson, and he shares that same respect for you, but you have to put that respect to the side and go try and knock his man's head off on Friday night.

AM: I respect Naazim to the fullest. He's a great trainer; been there, done that quite a few times. I'm not going to lie, I don't like going up against Naazim because I consider him part of the home team. But this is just work. It's business, it's work, and I'm having fun and enjoying myself. At the end of the day, I'm just trying to keep this boat afloat and give my sons something that they can look up to and give my family something that they can look up to and give the people that know me and love me something that they can look up to, man. I'm enjoying myself. At the end of the day, I've gone way beyond the expectation after coming out of prison after 8 ½ years. Coming home 37 years old, nobody believed that I could have gone this far. I came and won the WBO/NABA and the WBA/NABF and USBA titles. I've done a lot in terms of accomplishing things in this sport and I'm just going to continue on this mission, man, and enjoying it.

PC: I appreciate your time as always. You are an inspiration for many and best of luck on Friday night, my man. Give me some final thoughts big man.

AM: Alright bruh. Always appreciate you brothers at FightHype. Y'all one of the only publications that I read because I know y'all don't misquote people. Y'all write down and quote people verbatim. So it's always a pleasure being supported and having an interest taken up by such a big boxing publication like FightHype.com. When FightHype calls you, you know you're doing something in the boxing world. If you get a call and you guys want to do interviews with a person, you're doing something right, so I appreciate you brothers because y'all keep me motivated as well.



[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]

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