Marshall Kauffman, shares the story of his KING's Gym in Reading which he opened in 1995 to get youngsters off the streets and involved in more positive activities, helping them gain confidence and pride in themselves. KING's is an acronym for Kids In Need of Guidance. Kauffman talks with Zeke about training such world champions from Reading as Steve Little and Kermit Cintron along with his son Travis, a heavyweight contender. Kauffman also explains how his KING's Promotions not only puts on fight cards in Reading and regionally but has blossomed into televised promotions across the country on ESPN, Showtime, Fox Sports 1 and other networks.
Kauffman tells Zeke that the inspiration for KING's Gym was finding "a way to get kids off the street in the name of the one King, Jesus Christ. And Reading is a hotbed for boxing with fighters like Travis, Kermit and Steve. Ali was Steve’s inspiration." Kauffman and Zeke also discuss the changing world of boxing and how it has become marginalized by multiple champions and competing sanctioning bodies that prevent top contenders from fighting each other.
But Kauffman believes having more televised network matches these days instead of just having fights on premium channels like HBO and Showtime is bringing the sport back. And he said that Travis, 30-1 with 22 KOs at the age of 30, is training in Texas for a fight this summer to be announced shortly. "Travis is being trained by Naazim Richardson, who used to train Bernard Hopkins, and being managed by Al Haymon, who has advised Floyd Mayweather," Kauffman says. "I used to train and manage Travis but it was a necessary transition because it makes for a healthier relationship between father and son." Kauffman is grateful he has been able to make a difference in his fighters’ lives, "giving kids like Kermit the opportunity to go from making $7 an hour laying carpet to a world champion."
