Tag Archives: Thomas LaManna

boxing

“Brutal” Brendan Barrett to appear in Heavyweight co-feature this Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park in Beach Haven, New Jersey

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Six-time MMA champion returns to ring after 6-year hiatus to not only fight but promote boxing event this Saturday at 5:30 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beach Haven, New Jersey (September 25, 2015)–THIS Saturday, September 26, at Veterans Memorial Park (In between the Sea Shell & Engleside Resorts) at Engleside Avenue at the Beach in Beach Haven. New Jersey, A terrific card of boxing will take place beginning at 5:30 PM

In the main event, junior middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will take part in a 6-round bout against veteran Ayi Bruce.

In the anticipated co-feature, “Brutal” Brendan Barrett takes on Satario Holdbrooks in a Heavyweight scheduled for 4-rounds.

Barrett of Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey is a popular figure around the Beach Haven/Long Beach Island area due to him being a 6-time MMA Heavyweight champion.

Barrett has carved out a terrific MMA career but has always had the itch to become a boxer.

Barrett has experience in the squared circle as he has a draw in a fight that he took part in 2006.

“When I took the first boxing fight it was just to do it and to stay active. My main background was wrestling, but every time the bell rang I just wanted to throw punches. Years ago I would watch The Contender and see how the boxers were portrayed as professionals and respectful athletes compared to some of the other fighting reality shows of the time. I started learning more about the history and legacy of boxing and became more and more interested in the sport.”

“I was already an established MMA fighter when I took my first boxing fight. I went out to Pittsburgh to train for a second boxing fight but several opponents fell through and the show was eventually canceled because of a snow storm. After that fight fell through I was offered another MMA fight, for the first time at HWT, with an opponent that declined to fight me as a last minute replacement against him on a fight he was scheduled for. Months later he called me out now wanting to fight. I took that rather personally so I went back to MMA to fight him and won. After that I started getting a lot of offers to fight at HWT in MMA and since became a 6 time HWT Champion across four different promotions, yet still wanted to box again.”

Barrett started the company H.I.T.M. Promotions, which stand for History In The Making, because he was tired of waiting for an opportunity in boxing, and also wanted to help other fighters further their own careers.

“I’ve sacrificed so much and dedicated myself for so long that I felt it was time to take control of my own destiny. No matter how hard I work or how prepared I am, I was always left waiting for an opportunity. Having my own promotional company removes the waiting. I can now fight on other shows, or my own and keep myself active. I started H.I.T.M. Promotions not to be a promoter, but to be a fighter. My focus is completely on this Saturday, but in the back of my mind I am already thinking about promoting another show. This is basically the most pivotal fight in my career. Not only am I transitioning back to boxing, but it is my first fight back from an injury to my hand that should have ended my career. On top of that, it is the first show my company has ever promoted. I felt that holding this fight in Beach Haven was a great way to do something different and special to the local community and to give back to a place that I have gotten so much from.”

So when asked if this is the end of his MMA Career, Barrett is open to anything.

“I honestly haven’t thought much about MMA. I truly want to keep boxing, but I haven’t completely shut the door on MMA.

Barrett said being a fighter and a promoter has not been easy as he embarks on his 2nd appearance in the ring.

“It has been difficult dealing with all of the phone calls, emails, and planning, all while trying to prepare for a fight. There have been times when I was doing my morning cardio on and I would be on the phone while working out handling business. As the fight got closer, I had to force myself to take more time to train and prepare myself. It was hard to stay focused at times because my opponent kept changing, and when the last one fell through and they mentioned Holdbrooks, I just said yes so I could fight.”

“I am honored to have the talent the we have on this card being that this is our first show. I feel blessed to fight in my backyard of Long Beach Island and this should be a great night of action.”

To find out more on Brendan Barrett, his website is www.brutalbrendanbarrett.com

In a 6-round bout:

Ian Green (6-0, 4 KO’s) of Paterson, NJ will take on K Lon Spencer (4-2, 3 KO’s) of Beaumont, TX in a Middleweight bout.

In 4-round Bouts:

Dustin Fleischer (3-0, 3 KO’s) of Monmouth, NJ battles Ira Frank (1-0, 1 KO) in a fight between undefeated Welterweights.

Meng Fanlong (2-0, 1 KO) of Chifeng, China will take on Michael Mitchell (3-5-2, 1 KO) of Paterson, NJ in a Light Heavyweight tussle.

O’Shanique Foster (7-0, 4 KO’s) of Orange, Texas will fight Darius Jackson (0-1) of Anderson, SC in a Lightweight bout.

Angel Concepcion (6-0) of Newark, NJ faces pro debuting Sidney Outlaw of Pennsylvania in a Light Heavyweight bout.

Arturo Trujillo (6-0, 3 KO’s) of Paterson, NJ boxes Alex Asbury (0-2) of Charlotte, NC in a Middleweight bout.

The fights begin at 5:30 PM with the doors opening at 4:30 PM with tickets ranging from $125 (rows 1 & 2), $100 (rows 3 and 4). $75 (rows 5-7) and $50 for General Admission and be purchased by clicking www.hitmpromotions.com.

The entire will be announced shortly.

Seating done by Section. First Come, First Served.

This is an outdoor event but will be enclosed in a 11,000sq ft tent.

***Sponsorship opportunities available. Email BigBarrett1022@yahoo.com for more information***

For more information, Contact Marc Abrams at 856 287 7611 or www.abramsboxing.com
boxing

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna takes on Ayi Bruce as headline bout this Saturday, September 26 in Beach Haven Memorial Park in Beach Haven, NJ

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Plus six-time MMA Heavyweight champion “Brutal” Brendan Barrett, Ian Green, Arturo Trujillo, Dustin Fleischer, Meng Fanlong, O’Shanique Foster & Angel Concepcion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beach Haven, New Jersey (September 22, 2015)–THIS Saturday, September 26, at Beach Haven Memorial Park (In between the Sea Shell & Engleside Resorts) at Engleside Avenue at the Beach in Beach Haven. New Jersey, A terrfic card of boxing will take place beginning at 5:30 PM

In the main event, junior middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will take part in a 6-round bout against veteran Ayi Bruce.

LaManna will be looking for his 2nd straight win as he won a 8-round unanimous decision over Joshua Robertson on August 7 in Atlantic City.

LaManna of Millville, New Jersey has a record of 17-1 with 7 knockouts.

Bruce of Accra, Ghana has a record of 23-10 with 15 knockouts is a former Ghanian super lightweight champion.

Bruce has also fought the likes of Albert Mensah (18-3-1), Emmanuel Taylor (7-0), Raymond Serrano (12-0), Gabriel Rosado (16-5), Dennis Laurente (40-4-5), Vitaly Demyanenko (19-0), Ishe Smith (22-5), Hugo Centeno Jr. (14-0), Glen Tapia (16-0) and in his last bout Erickson Lubin (10-0).

He holds wins over former contender Shamone Alvarez (21-2) as well as Hector Munoz (19-4-1).

Fighting in the 4-round co-feature will be “Brutal” Brendan Barrett taking on Satario Holdbrooks (0-1) of Kannapolis, NC in a Heavyweight bout.

Barrett, of Little Egg Harbor, NJ, is a 6-time MMA Heavyweight champion, will be making his 2nd professional boxing appearance.

He is 0-0-1 as he fought a disputed draw with James Rankin on May 8, 2009 in Philadelphia.

In a 6-round bout:

Ian Green (6-0, 4 KO’s) of Paterson, NJ will take on K Lon Spencer (4-2, 3 KO’s) of Beaumont, TX in a Middleweight bout.

In 4-round Bouts:

Dustin Fleischer (3-0, 3 KO’s) of Monmouth, NJ battles Ira Frank (1-0, 1 KO) in a fight between undefeated Welterweights.

Meng Fanlong (2-0, 1 KO) of Chifeng, China will take on Michael Mitchell (3-5-2, 1 KO) of Paterson, NJ in a Light Heavyweight tussle.

O’Shanique Foster (7-0, 4 KO’s) of Orange, Texas will fight Darius Jackson (0-1) of Anderson, SC in a Lightweight bout.

Angel Concepcion (6-0) of Newark, NJ faces pro debuting Sidney Outlaw of Pennsylvania in a Light Heavyweight bout.

Arturo Trujillo (6-0, 3 KO’s) of Paterson, NJ boxes Alex Asbury (0-2) of Charlotte, NC in a Middleweight bout.

The fights begin at 5:30 PM with the doors opening at 4:30 PM with tickets ranging from $125 (rows 1 & 2), $100 (rows 3 and 4). $75 (rows 5-7) and $50 for General Admission and be purchased by clicking www.hitmpromotions.com.

The entire will be announced shortly.

boxing

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna headlines Boxing by the Beach on Saturday, September 26 in Beach Haven Memorial Park in Beach Haven, NJ

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Plus six-time MMA Heavyweight champion “Brutal” Brendan Barrett, Ian Green, Arturo Trujillo, Kennan Smith and Bienvenido Diaz
Beach Haven, New Jersey (September 8, 2015)—On Saturday, September 26, at Beach Haven Memorial Park (In between the Sea Shell & Engleside Resorts) at Engleside Avenue at the Beach in Beach Haven. New Jersey.  
In the main event, Jr. Middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will take part in a 6-round bout.

LaManna will be looking for his 2nd straight win as he won a 6-round unanimous decision over Joshua Robertson on August 7 in Atlantic City.

LaManna of Millville, New Jersey has a record of 17-1 with 7 knockouts.
Fighting in the 4-round co-feature will be “Brutal” Brendan Barrett.
Barrett, of Little Egg Harbor, NJ, is a 6-time MMA Heavyweight champion, will be making his 2nd professional boxing appearance.
He is 0-0-1 as he fought a disputed draw with James Rankin on May 8, 2009 in Philadelphia.
Also seeing action in a 6-round bouts will be Super Middleweight Ian Green (6-0, 4 KO’s) of Paterson, NJ; Welterweight Keenan Smith (8-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA; Jr. Lightweight O’Shanique Foster (7-0, 4 KO’s) of Orange, Texas
In 4-round Bouts: Welterweight Arturo Trujillo (6-0, 3 KO’s) of Easton, PA will fight an opponent to be named.
Jr. Lightweight Bienvenido Diaz (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Prospect Park, NJ will face Joshua Arocho (3-10-4, 2 KO’s) of Vineland, NJ in a four round bout.
Smith, Diaz, Foster and Trujillo are promoted by GH3 Promotions.
The full card with more bouts will be announced shortly.
 H.I.T.M Promotions will present Boxing at the Beach.  The show will have 8 professional boxing matches that will take place approximately one block from the beach.
The fights begin at 5:30 PM with the doors opening at 4:30 PM with tickets ranging from $125 (rows 1 & 2), $100 (rows 3 and 4). $75 (rows 5-7) and $50 for General Admission and be purchased by clicking  www.hitmpromotions.com.
The entire will be announced shortly.

Seating done by Section. First Come, First Served.

This is an outdoor event but will be enclosed in a 11,000sq ft tent.
boxing, ShoBox, Showtime Boxing

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna looks to get back in win column this Friday night in rematch against Josh Robertson

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Fight to be part of off-tv undercard of ShoBox fight card at Ballys Atlantic City 
For Immediate Release
Atlantic City, NJ (August 4, 2015)—This Friday night at Ballys Atlantic City, Middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (16-1, 7 KO’s) will be back in action and looking to get back in the win column against a familiar foe when he takes on Josh Robertson in a bout scheduled for 8-rounds.
The bout will be part of the off-tv portion of a ShoBox televised tripleheader that will feature Middleweight Ievgen Khytrov taking on Nick Brinson.
LaManna of nearby Millville, New Jersey is coming off his first professional setback which ironically was televised on ShoBox on March 13 when he was stopped by 6 rounds to undefeated Antoine Douglas.
LaManna, who won a 6-round unanimous decision over Robertson in the same Ballys ring on September 28, 2013 knows that a big effort will get him back in a big fight.
“Training has been great.  By the time I get in the ring on Friday, I would have completed a 10 week training camp.  I started camp in New York and I was supposed to fight on July 25.  That show got postponed and I was fortunate enough to land on this show,” said LaManna.
When asked about what he remembers about the first encounter with Robertson, LaManna recalls, “I won every round.  That was a six rounder and this is an eight round fight.  I want to stop him and make a statement.”
If LaManna is able to get that emphatic win, he is hoping to look impressive in front of his hometown fans.
“It’s good to be back on an undercard of a ShoBox event.  It’s a high profile show in my home area.  I will have a lot of support and I am looking forward to putting on a good performance.”
During the camp, LaManna is working on the things that he needed to tighten up after the loss to Douglas.
“I have been working on keeping my composure and sticking to my gameplan.  I feel like I am getting stronger.  I am still just 23 years-old and despite my last fight, my best boxing is still ahead of me.”
“I want to thank Lou DiBella for putting me on the card.  As well I would to thank Vincent Ponte of Gulfstream Promotions as well as Rising Star Promotions.”
Tickets for the event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Fight Promotions Inc., are currently on sale and are priced at $120 and $60. Tickets can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or by visitingwww.ticketmaster.com.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the first bout scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. ET.


About Rising Star Promotions:
Rising Star Promotions was created with the intent of becoming a house hold name with the key objective of Rising Star Promotions being able to coordinate an array of diversified special events within the sports and entertainment industry, The CEO and partners at Rising Star Promotions feel that the opportunities for growth are endless. We would like to give opportunities to up and coming professional as well as amateur boxers that other promoters would not readily give opportunity to. The events that Rising Star plans to coordinate will provide much needed affordable, family-friendly sports entertainment.
boxing

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna to headline Rising Star Promotions on Saturday, July 25 at New Jersey Motorsports Park

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Millville, NJ (June 17, 2015)–On Saturday night, July 25, Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will be back in action as Rising Star Promotions presents a night of professional boxing at the New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey.

LaManna will headline a 9-bout professional card when he takes part in a Jr. Middleweight bout scheduled for 8-rounds.

LaManna of Millville, New Jersey has a record of 16-1 with 7 knockouts.

“This will be a great night of boxing and we are looking forward to showcasing some of the best local talent,” said Debbie LaManna of Rising Star Promotions.

“I want to thank the New Jersey Motorsports Park and and all the sponsors for making this event possible.”

LaManna is eager to get back in the ring following his first professional setback. That happened on March 13 when he was stopped by undefeated prospect Antoine Douglas in a bout that was nationally televised on Showtime’s acclaimed ShoBox series.

LaManna wasted no-time in getting back in the gym in an effort to redeem himself and has been training diligently between his home in Millville, New Jersey and New York City.

“I have a chip on my shoulder and feel that I have something to prove to my fans, family, friends and most importantly myself. My last fight doesn’t define who I am as a fighter but it defined me as man. I stepped up in competition and faced in my mind the best prospect in boxing. I came up short but took it as a learning lesson and not a defeat,”said LaManna.

“What better place to have my comeback fight than right in my hometown of Millville. This will be a great show.”

“I would like to thank my team, Rising Star Promotions and my sponsors for making this all happen for me. I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring and take care of business.”

LaManna’s opponent will be announced shortly.

In the six-round co-feature, John Lennox (13-2, 5 KO’s) of Carteret, New Jersey will see action in a Cruiserweight bout.

In 4-round bouts:

Edgar Flores of Philadelphia will make his pro debut against Alshamar Johnson (0-1) of Vineland, New Jersey in a Super Middleweight bout.

Carlos Rosario (2-1, 1 KO) of Pennsauken, New Jersey will take on Joshua Arocho (3-10-4, 2 KO’s) of Vineland, NJ in a battle of South Jersey based Lightweights.

Quian Davis of Vineland, New Jersey will make his pro debut against William Gunter (0-1) of Lynchburg, VA in a Heavyweight bout.

Marvin Johnson (0-0-1) of Millville, NJ will pro debuting Daniel Perez of Pittsburgh, PA Lightweight bout against an opponent to be named.

Roberto Lopez (4-9-2, 1 KO) of Vineland, NJ will take on an opponent to be named in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Matthew Gonzalez (2-0) of Vineland, NJ will fight Eddie Edmond (2-4-2, 1 KO) of Newark, NJ in a Middleweight bout.

Edgar Cortes (1-1) of Vineland, NJ will fight against an opponent to be named in a Super Bantamweight bout.

Doors open: 5:30 First Bell 6:00pm
Tickets: $40 GA & $60 Ringside
Tickets can be purchased online at www.risingstarboxing.com

The New Jersey Motorsports Park is located at
8000 Dividing Creek Rd.
Millville NJ, 08332

boxing, ShoBox, Showtime Boxing

DOUGLAS, BARROSO, ODOM & LOPEZ SCORE KNOCKOUTS IN SHOBOX QUADRUPLEHEADER FROM WESTBURY, N.Y.

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NIGHT OF KNOCKOUTS

 

Watch The Replay On SHOWTIME EXTEME® Monday, March 16 At 10 p.m. ET/PT

 

Click HERE To Download Photos

Credit Rosie Cohe/SHOWTIME®

 

WESTBURY, N.Y. (March. 14, 2015) – Talented unbeaten middleweight Antoine Douglas made an impressive 2015 debut thoroughly outboxing previously unbeaten Thomas LaManna before finishing him by TKO at 2:44 of the sixth-round in the main event of a night of knockouts on ShoBox: The New Generation Friday from The Space at Westbury in Westbury, N.Y.

 

Douglas (17-0-1, 10 KOs), of Washington, D.C., controlled the bout from the opening bell and was the more active and accurate fighter, throwing 127 total punches to LaManna’s 73. LaManna (16-1, 7 KOs), of Millville, N.J., was tough and tried to counter, but wasn’t experienced enough to land anything meaningful against the skilled Washingtonian. Douglas employed a diverse and ferocious attack of uppercuts, hooks and jabs knocking LaManna down twice before scoring the knockout in an exciting win.

 

“I put the work in at the gym and that made it easy. It took me longer than I thought it would, but I got the job done,” said Douglas. “I thought I hurt him early in the fight now and then. I just wanted to keep the ball rolling from here.”

 

“He’s a good fighter, fast and strong. He’s everything I thought he would be. It was a learning experience for me,” said LaManna. “He caught me with a good shot. The first knockdown wasn‘t a knockdown. The last one, I was off balance, but he caught me with a good shot. He was the better man tonight.”

 

“The last time Douglas fought on ShoBox, it was a very unsatisfying fight because he was held to a draw and he faded late. This time, he took control the first 30 seconds of the first round, won every round, and then, just as you thought that the only thing that he needed to do was put an exclamation point on the performance, that’s what he did by scoring three knockdowns in the sixth,” said Boxing Historian and SHOWTIME Analyst Steve Farhood. “Douglas took down a fighter that had never been down before. This was a very impressive performance that reestablished him as a top 160-pound American prospect.”

 

In the co-feature of a thrilling quadrupleheader, unbeaten southpaw Ismael “El Tigre” Barroso (17-0-2, 16 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, scored his 13th consecutive victory earning the NABO Lightweight Title with a TKO over determined Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-3, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y. The stoppage happened just three seconds deep in the sixth after Kinda appeared to have problems with his vision.

 

Barroso dominated from the early rounds despite a nasty cut above his right eye in the third and another below his left eye in the fourth, both from accidental heabutts from Kinda.

 

“I fight better when I’m worried. I had to get worried I would lose so I knew I had to fight my best,” said Barroso. “The cuts bothered me a little but I had a job to do. I thank God everything went well once I started to fight the way I fight.”

 

Kinda was rushed to the hospital with a possible orbital fracture. This is the second time he has experienced vision problems in his last three fights.

 

Skilled Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (13-1, 1 NC, 12 KOs), of Washington D.C., avenged his lone loss with a first-round TKO against formerly unbeaten Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-1-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz., in a super middleweight rematch.

 

Odom delivered his 12th knockout in 13 fights at 2:47 of the first by throwing solid jabs and strong connecting power shots. Hernandez attempted to counterpunch, but he was quickly finished by the talented Odom.

 

“I told you he couldn’t beat me. He caught me at a bad moment in the first fight,” said Odom. “I did it like my idol Roy Jones did it. After I hit him, I saw him smile, so I knew I hurt him. I did to him this time what I was on the way to doing in the first fight.”

 

Although it was clear that Hernandez was hurt, he challenged the referee call.

 

“I don’t know how the referee sleeps at night. He made a huge mistake,” said Hernández. “I was dominating. As soon as he landed a punch, they stopped the fight. I want a third fight. The world saw and will demand a rubber match.”

 

In the opening bout of the telecast, San Antonio’s Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez (10-0, 5 KOs) kept his record unblemished by delivering a second-round TKO at 1:42 with a strong left hook over fellow countryman Pablo “El Zankudo Letal” Cruz (11-1, 3 KOs) in a battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights.

“I hurt my left hand in the first round, but I knocked him out with the same punch a round later. I’m looking forward to fighting on SHOWTIME again,” said Lopez.

 

# # #

 

The event was promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association withDavid Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions and sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

boxing, ShoBox, Showtime Boxing

Meet Tonight’s ShoBox Fighters

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Quadrupleheader Tonight LIVE on SHOWTIME® At 10 p.m. ET/PT
From The Space at Westbury in Westbury, N.Y.
Westbury, NY (March 13, 2015)–Below are video interviews with the fighters that will compete in tonight’s ShoBox: The New Generation card that will feature four big fights beginning at 10 PM ET/PT.  (Note–Andrew Hernandez was unavailable for interview).
In the 10-round main event, undefeated middleweight’s Antoine Douglas (16-0-1, 10 KO’s) battles Thomas LaManna (16-0, 7 KO’s); The NABA & NABO Lightweight titles will be on the line when Isamel Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KO’s) takes on Issouf Kinda (17-2, 7 KO’s) in a bout scheduled for ten rounds.
 In eight-round bouts, super middleweight Jerry Odom (12-1, 11 KO’s) looks to avenge his only defeat when he battles Andrew Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 KO) and rounding out the card will be undefeated super bantamweights Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KO’s) taking on Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KO’s)
Antoine Douglas 031215
Antoine Douglas 031215
Thomas LaManna 031215
Thomas LaManna 031215
Ismael Barroso 031215
Ismael Barroso 031215
Issouf Kinda 031215
Issouf Kinda 031215
Jerry Odom 031215
Jerry Odom 031215
Adam Lopez 031215
Adam Lopez 031215
Pablo Cruz 031215
Pablo Cruz 031215
Advance tickets for the event promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions, are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425.

The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Jr. Middleweight John Thompson, Featherweight Jorge Diaz, undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa’id Muhammad, Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell and undefeated Welterweight Jerrell Harris.
boxing, Showtime Boxing

ANTOINE DOUGLAS vs. THOMAS LAMANNA SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION FINAL WEIGHTS, QUOTES & PHOTOS

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Quadrupleheader Tonight LIVE on SHOWTIME® At 10 p.m. ET/PT

From The Space at Westbury in Westbury, N.Y.

  Photos by: Rosie Cohe/SHOWTIME

 

WESTBURY, N.Y. (March. 12, 2015) – Undefeated welterweight Antoine Douglas tipped the scale at 159¾ pounds and fellow unbeaten Thomas LaManna measured 157¾ pounds during Thursday’s official weigh-in for tonight’s ShoBox: The New Generation quadrupleheader.

 

At just 23 years old, Douglas (16-0-1, 10 KOs) is one of boxing’s fastest-rising prospects. The aggressive and exciting Washington, D.C., native will make his 2015 debut against LaManna (16-0, 7 KOs) in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from The Space at Westbury in Westbury, N.Y.

 

In the co-feature, unbeaten southpaw Ismael Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, will shoot for his 13th consecutive victory when he faces Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-2, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y., in a 10-round scrap for the NABO Lightweight Title. Barroso weighed 134 pounds, Kinda 133½ pounds.

 

In an eight-round featured bout, once-beaten Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (12-1, 1 NC, 11 KOs), of Washington D.C., will try and avenge his lone loss when he takes on undefeated Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz., in a super middleweight rematch. Odom weighed 168 pounds, Hernandez 167¾ pounds.

 

In the opening bout, Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KOs), of San Antonio, and Houston’s Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KOs) clash in an eight-round battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights. Lopez tipped scale at 121½ pounds, Cruz weighed 120¾ pounds.

 

Advance tickets for the event promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions, are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425.

 

The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

 

Here’s what the fighters had to say before Thursday’s weigh-in:

 

Antoine Douglas:

“The key is that I learn from my past experiences. Everything is a lesson. It’s only considered a loss if you don’t learn from it.

“I’m a disciplined fighter so once I enter the ring, the switch is on. That’s my comfort zone.

“If you look at my story, you see I’ve been through adversity all my life. Being in the ring is just another step for something I’m fighting for. I have people to fight for, burdens to get off my shoulder, my life is a fight.  Once I step in the ring, it’s go time, I handle all my business there.

“I know what I worked on and what I prepared myself to do, so I don’t go in the ring expecting anything. If you go in expecting something, you may end up on the other side of that expectation, so I just do what I came to do, fight hard and win. If you go in expecting things, you’re going on a one-way path.

“Any man you get in the ring with, no matter how big or small, has the capability to do damage.  I take on every fight with the same intensity and thought process; I can’t worry about anything else.”

Thomas LaManna:

“People try to underestimate me based on my appearance but once they get hit, it’s another story. I know Douglas is taking me seriously since he knows me from the amateurs. It’s in his best interest to take me seriously.

“I know I’m good at what I do, and that’s boxing. During my first fights, if I got hit, everything went out the window and I was ready to rumble. My new trainer helped me control my mental strength while really using my reach, but the key is to stick to the game plan.

“This opportunity to fight on SHOWTIME was too good to pass up. I want everyone to see that I’m the real deal. The press has said a lot of positive things about me and I want to live up to that. The risk and reward factor about this fight is getting out and being seen. I know what I can do but not everyone has seen it yet.

“I love the fact you have two 23-year-old young undefeated fighters getting in the ring. As a boxing fan, I think that makes for a great fight. I’m fortunate to be a part of a card with two legit young fighters. We’re both where we’re at for a reason.

“I believe in my shots and power. Any shot I throw, I believe in it. My skills, talent and hard work are what brought me here.”

Ismael Barroso:

“I want the U.S. fans to think of me as a great fighter who comes to go to war. I come to knock people out.

“In Cuba in 2001, I sparred someone on the Cuban National Team and laid him out cold.. As I kept training, I developed more power.

I’m in great shape. I trained for four months for this fight and I’m ready. I could go 12 rounds if I had to.

“He [Kinda] is just another fighter. This fight is mine. I will knock him out or get a decision. We took this guy because nobody wants to fight him. He [Kinda] has never been knocked out, but look at who he has fought.”

Issouf Kinda

“I have never been knocked down. I have never been hurt. And I don’t think that’s going to change now.

“This guy has never fought anybody like me. He thinks he can knock everybody out, but I’m not just another guy. I’m tougher than everybody he has ever fought. He’s not going to knock me down.

“I know how to fight a southpaw. I’m experienced. I can box. He better be ready.

“I’m going to show him he is fighting a man. If he punches me, I’m going to punch him back.”

Jerry Odom:

“I don’t think he wants to fight me. He’s just doing it because he has to. I’m not going to say I regret what I did to Hernandez in our first fight because I was just trying to get the win, so I went for the kill.

“Before I even saw fighting on TV or even started boxing, I knew how to fight. Where I come from, I was used to adversity so my instinct was to fight no matter what.

“When I changed trainers, it was for the better. We had a mutual understanding so there were no hard feelings. Instead of going to train in different places, my workouts feel more professional. I get everything I need in one session. I’ve been able to break down my old habits in order to show my real talent.”

Andrew Hernandez:

“He fought dirty the first time around. He hit me with a blow and I took a knee and while I was down, he punched me again.

“He’s definitely overrated. He’s fought a lot of tomato cans. I’m going to expose him. I’m sharper and better than him in all aspects, no question.

“I took the rematch because that’s not the victory I wanted. I wanted a knockout. I’ll get it this time around. I’m going for it with all I have.

“I heard some people questioning my punching power. I boxed Odom with an injured hand and I outboxed him. I’m healthy and in great shape now. I’m going to knock him out. You better be watching.”

Adam Lopez:

“Cruz is my countryman. I’ve seen him fight. I even sparred with him a while back and I can say with certainty that I outboxed him.

“This is the first time I’m going eight rounds, but I’m not concerned about it. I trained very well. I’m in the best shape I have ever been.

“Fighting on this card is a great opportunity for me. I’ve been under the radar most of my career, but now I have the opportunity to be on SHOWTIME, national television. I feel so blessed.”

Pablo Cruz

“It took me over nine years to get here. I worked hard, really hard and I’m not going to let this opportunity slip away.

“This is a huge fight for me, perhaps the biggest one of my career. I will go at him with everything I got.

“I’m not taking him lightly. I respect him as a fighter, but I’m hungry. I’m very hungry and I’ll do what it takes to get the job done. Tomorrow is my time and I’ll shine.”

 

 

Weights from Boxing at
The Space at Westbury in New York

ShoBox weigh in 031215
3-13-15 ShoBox weigh in video

 

Antoine Douglas 159.8 – Thomas LaManna 157.8
Ismael Barroso 134 – Isoouf Kinda 133.6 (NABA & NABO Lightweight Championships)
Jerry Odom 168 – Andrew Hernandez 167.8
Adam Lopez 121.4 – Pablo Cruz 120.8
Tommy Rainone 151- Allen Litzau 151
Patty Alcivar 112.8 – Peggy Maerz 111.4
Dave Meloni 130 – Ricard Bonds 133
Rich Neves 156 – Joshua Marks 151.2

TV: ShoBox: The New Generation (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast)

 

Tickets: Priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission and available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425. 

 

Sponsors: Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

 

Promoters: GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions.


###

 

About Greg Cohen Promotions

 

One of boxing’s premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world.

Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman.

Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen made headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar.

In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman (50-8-2, 41 KOs); and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James “Lights Out” Toney (74-7-3, 45 KOs).

Current world-rated contenders in the GCP roster include Arash Usmanee, universally recognized as a top-10 super featherweight; former WBA International Middleweight Champion and world-rated middleweight contender Jarrod Fletcher; top-rated featherweight Joel Brunker; cruiserweight Lateef Kayode; Canadian lightweight and TV action hero Tony Luis, and WBA and five-time Irish National Amateur Champion, Dennis Hogan; and Rising Welterweight sensation Cecil McCalla.

Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.
boxing, Showtime Boxing, Uncategorized

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna: Undefeated yet looking for respect in ShoBox: The New Generation bout against Antoine Douglas

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Battle of undefeated Middleweights Highlights March 13 card in Westbury, N.Y
LIVE on SHOWTIME® This Friday, March 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

For Immediate Release

Millville, New Jersey (March 10, 2015)—On Friday night, March 13 at the Space in Westbury, N.Y.,  undefeated middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (16-0, 7 KO’s) will step up in class and try to silence any critics when he takes on fellow undefeated Middleweight Antoine “Action” Douglas (16-0-1, 10 KO’s). The quadrupleheader ShoBox: The New Generation will be televised live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

The bout will headline a ShoBox: The New Generation card beginning at 10 PM ET

In an age where fighters don’t want to be tested until a premium network comes calling, LaManna gives Douglas credit for stepping for this major opportunity.
“I think whoever wins or loses, we should gain a lot of respect that two young and undefeated fighters are taking a risk.  In boxing, when an opportunity presents itself, you can’t say no,” said LaManna
The 23 year-old LaManna is ready for this fight as he knows that a big effort will make him more than just a local attraction.
“It’s now because I have been a professional for four years and sixteen fights and I just felt with my team to take this necessary risk to see where I am at.”
LaManna also feels that he doesn’t think that Douglas has been through a hard fight and on March 13 that will all change.
“I disagree with the notion that he has fought great competition and I haven’t.  The only time he has had to bite down and grind it out, he was only able to get a draw.  Not to take anything away from him, I have had to bite down and I have won fights.”
“I know it’s his promoter’s show but in no way do I look at myself as the B-side in the fight.”
LaManna continues on to discuss that if you look behind the number’s, Douglas strength of schedule is not all that it looks to be on paper.
“He has fought two undefeated guys.  One of them was from the Midwest and the other did not beat anybody of note.  On paper it may look better and maybe because of the way I look or my body type, people come in thinking that they will beat me.  I can’t say that for all of his opponents.  I also have not faced many guys on short notice.  Just about all my opponents have had full training camps to face me.”
“I am going to say this that the professional ranks are different then the amateurs.  I bring a lot more to the table then his other adversaries.  Just like him, I am undefeated and I do not know how to lose.  On March 13, I will do everything to keep it that way.  I am not in awe of anybody and I consider this another day at the office.”
“I would like to thank my dad who also is my manager as well as my co-promoters Russell Peltz and Peltz Boxing as well as Vincent Ponte and Gulfstream Promotions.”
 Vinny LaManna, Thomas’ Father and Manager  believes, “One thing about Thomas is that all of his opponents have had ample time to train.  They have all come to win. Come March 13, the hard work and the ring experience will pay off.”
Thomas LaManna 022115
Thomas LaManna 022115
 In the co-feature, unbeaten southpaw Ismael Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, will shoot for his 13th consecutive victory when he faces Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-2, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y., in a ten-round scrap for the NABO Lightweight Title. In an eight-round featured bout, once-beaten Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (12-1, 1 NC, 11 KOs), of Washington D.C., will try and avenge his lone loss when he takes on undefeated Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz., in a super middleweight rematch. In the opening bout, Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KOs), of San Antonio, and Houston’s Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KOs) clash in an eight-round battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights.

Advance tickets for the event promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions, are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425.

The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.
boxing, Showtime Boxing

 Q&A WITH TOP PROSPECT ANTOINE DOUGLAS AS HE PREPARES TO FACE FELLOW UNBEATEN THOMAS LAMANNA THIS FRIDAY ON SHOWTIME®

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ShoBox: The New Generation LIVE on SHOWTIME
This Friday, March 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT From Westbury, N.Y.

Photo Credit:  Stephanie Trapp / SHOWTIME
For Immediate Release

WESTBURY, N.Y. (March 9, 2015) – Undefeated middleweight Antoine Douglas(16-0-1, 10 KOs) is one of boxing’s fastest-rising prospects. Just 23 years old, the aggressive and exciting Washington, D.C., native will make his 2015 debut thisFriday, March 13 against fellow unbeaten Thomas LaManna (16-0, 7 KOs) in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Douglas, who is 1-0-1 in two ShoBox appearances, is looking to prove that he’s earned the moniker “Action” when he faces an opponent who – like himself – has never lost or touched the canvas. More importantly, he’s aiming to continue to erase any doubt about his future as a contender at 160 pounds. Douglas has won two in a row since boxing a hard-fought 10-round majority draw with former world title challengerMichel Soro (23-1-1 going in) last July 25 on ShoBox.

Here’s what Douglas had to say as he prepares for a breakout 2015:

How would you say your career is going?
“My career is going great so far. I am very satisfied with the pace of my career. I’m right where we want to be and in position for a big year.”

Neither one of you has been knocked down as a professional. Do you expect that to change on March 13?
“I really don’t expect anything going into a fight. I just want to put on a great show and put on a great fight. Give it my all.”

You’ve faced the tougher opposition as a pro. How do you stay focused and not look past an opponent?
“This is the sport of boxing and one punch can change any fight. Any fighter has the capability of hurting me so I don’t overlook anyone. LaManna is undefeated. He’s never lost, so I can’t look past him. Anything can happen in there.”

What do you know about LaManna and what kind of fight do you expect?
“I know that he’s tall and has a long reach. I really don’t know what to expect. I know that he tends to lock up to try to stay in a defensive position. I need to take advantage of that by going on the offensive.”

After what you’ve overcome as a youngster, do you consider yourself a survivor? Did boxing save you?
“I wouldn’t consider myself just a survivor. I would consider myself a fighter. I had a lot to fight for in my youth. Boxing helped me get through my issues. It provided me with instruction and discipline. Around the age of 14 I really took control of my life and became a man. I felt like I needed to treat myself as a man.

“When I was in a foster home at 14, my two guardians split up and I was in a position where I needed to make a decision to choose which path to go down. I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today if I didn’t make the decision I made. There weren’t people around me to point me in the right direction, I was on my own. If there were people that were supportive of me, I wasn’t expecting it. I was in the position that I was making the decision solely for myself.”

Getting serious here – your mother was in and out of your life growing up. What keeps you so loyal to her after everything that you’ve been through?
“I understand the fact that everyone goes through things in their life. It’s easy to tell them what they should do. It takes a lot to put your pride aside to be considerate of what people are going through. Too many people put themselves first over others. I took a step back and realized that everything happens for a reason and look how I turned out today. My mother and I have a great relationship now because I was understanding of her situation and didn’t take anything she did intentionally or think that it was directed towards me.”

What did you learn from your last ShoBox fight versus Soro)?. Do you view it as a positive or negative?
“I view the fight with Soro as a positive. In that fight I got down in weight, the smallest I have been in a while. I was at 155 instead of my usual weight of 160. Shedding the pounds really had a big impact on the fight and I realized I am a middleweight and feel comfortable at 160.”

That the Soro fight was called a majority draw — was that a disappointment for you? How did you learn from that?
“It was a great disappointment for me to get a draw, but we know now not to go any smaller than 160. That’s the main thing we learned in that fight. There is such a thing as being too disciplined. People noticed how skinny I was for that fight, but being a disciplined fighter I was determined to make weight. A lot of opponents wouldn’t have taken that fight but it was an opportunity that I wanted to take advantage of. I thought it was a good decision at the time, but I learned a valuable lesson.”

You knocked a guy’s tooth out in your first ShoBox fight (Jan. 17, 2014, versus Marquis Davis) and your mom stole the show in your last appearance. What do you have in store for viewers on March 13?
“I mean, I’m just planning for a great fight. That’s all I can guarantee. I’m not one for superstitions [Friday The 13th]. I can just guarantee it will be a great fight.”

What is your biggest strength? Are you looking for the knockout or do you believe you can go 10 rounds and get the victory that way?
“I believe I can bang for 10 rounds, but that all depends on the opponent. Some guys are strong enough who can go the full 10 rounds. I go in and try to inflict the most amount of damage from the opening bell.

“My biggest strength is my will and determination. There’s never a moment where I want to give up. Even if I get hurt in the ring, I won’t succumb to the fighter. Those are the thoughts that go through my head.”

Jerry Odom is also on this card and you both are from the DC area. You have stated that you two are like roommates. What does it mean to have him on the card with you?
“It means a lot for me. We come from similar humble beginnings and for us to be on the same card is historic for us. We both carry the same common goal and we have a lot that we are fighting for. Being able to do this on such a big stage on SHOWTIME and prove all the naysayers wrong means the world to us. It makes it that much more worth it and fulfilling for us, especially if we both get the victory.”

Your prediction?
“I predict a victory. I have trained and worked very hard for this and am ready to put on a show.”

In the co-feature, unbeaten southpaw Ismael Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, will shoot for his 13th consecutive victory when he faces Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-2, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y., in a 10-round scrap for the NABO Lightweight Title. In an eight-round featured bout, once-beaten Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (12-1, 1 NC, 11 KOs), of Washington D.C., will try and avenge his lone loss when he takes on undefeated Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz., in a super middleweight rematch. In the opening bout, Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KOs), of San Antonio, and Houston’s Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KOs) clash in an eight-round battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights.

Advance tickets for the event promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions,are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425.

The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.