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Tag Archives: Thomas LaManna
Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna looks to get back in win column this Friday night in rematch against Josh Robertson
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.
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Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna to headline Rising Star Promotions on Saturday, July 25 at New Jersey Motorsports Park
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
DOUGLAS, BARROSO, ODOM & LOPEZ SCORE KNOCKOUTS IN SHOBOX QUADRUPLEHEADER FROM WESTBURY, N.Y.
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.
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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.
Meet Tonight’s ShoBox Fighters
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ANTOINE DOUGLAS vs. THOMAS LAMANNA SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION FINAL WEIGHTS, QUOTES & PHOTOS
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.”
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Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna: Undefeated yet looking for respect in ShoBox: The New Generation bout against Antoine Douglas
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Q&A WITH TOP PROSPECT ANTOINE DOUGLAS AS HE PREPARES TO FACE FELLOW UNBEATEN THOMAS LAMANNA THIS FRIDAY ON SHOWTIME®
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Rainone Tops Untelevised Undercard This Friday at The Space at Westbury in Westbury, New York
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SIX BOXERS RISK UNBLEMISHED RECORDS ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION QUADRUPLEHEADER
Unbeatens Antoine Douglas & Thomas LaManna Meet in The Main Event
Live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT
NEW YORK (Feb. 25, 2015) – Six unbeaten boxers, eight total with a combined record of 105-3-3, will highlight a ShoBox: The New Generation quadrupleheader live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) on Friday, March 13, from The Space at Westbury in Westbury, N.Y.
Two of the fights will feature undefeated boxers against each other. In the main event, Antoine “Action”Douglas (16-0-1, 10 KOs) of Washington, D.C., will meet Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (16-0, 7 KOs) of Millville, N.J., in a 10-round middleweight scrap. 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 in the opener of the telecast.
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 the eight-round feature bout, once-beatenJerry “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.
Which of the undefeated boxers will keep their unblemished records intact on Friday The 13th? SinceShoBox premiered in July 2001, 125 fighters – and counting – suffered their initial defeats on the popular series, where promising prizefighters often face their toughest foes to date.
Douglas, 22, is unbeaten (1-0-1) in two ShoBox appearances. He has won two in a row, including a lopsided six-round decision over Don Mouton in his most recent start last Nov. 13 2014, and a 10-round majority draw with former world title challenger Michel Soro (23-1-1 going in) last July on ShoBox.
“Douglas grew up a little bit in his last fight on ShoBox, dominating Soro early and then fading late in a fight that could have gone either way,’’ said ShoBox Expert Analyst and Boxing Historian Steve Farhood. “It’s the kind of fight a young prospect needs to learn about himself and I’m anxious to see if that experience proves to play a big part in his maturity as a fighter. He’s a very exciting, aggressive middleweight and for a very young fighter seems to be moving very quickly.’’
A solid amateur who made it to the 2011 U.S. Olympic Trials before going pro in Oct. 2012, Douglas fought twice that year, nine times in 2013 and six times in 2014.
Douglas looked strong while pitching a shutout in his 12th pro start, winning his ShoBox debut and knocking out one of his opponent’s teeth in an entertaining but one-sided eight-round decision over previously unbeaten Marquis Davis (8-0-2 going in) in January 2014.
Douglas, who acknowledges the notoriety he’s received since appearing on ShoBox, is now taking his third scheduled 10-round fight.
“This is going to be a big fight, a very big fight,’’ he said. “I am the main event. It is another step up the ladder and I get to take that step on a big network like SHOWTIME.
“I know LaManna from the amateurs so this fight came as a bit of a surprise to me. But this is the sport of boxing. I know he’s coming to win and stay undefeated, just like I am. I think 160 is my best weight and is one I should stay comfortable at. No more catch-weights hopefully.
“ShoBox has shown me love and has been very beneficial to me and my career. I’m definitely getting noticed more. I know I need to get a win on March 13 to continue to climb the rankings.”
LaManna, 23, is a determined young fighter with a sometimes unpredictable style. A pro since February 2011, he has been a fixture on Atlantic City boxing cards, having fought there eight times. LaManna, who is two-and-a half inches taller than Douglas, is looking forward to the opportunity and is confident he can spring an upset in his 10-round ShoBox debut.
“I’ve been waiting for a fight like this,’’ said LaManna, who is coming off a unanimous six-round decision over Gilbert Sanchez last Dec. 13. “Without a doubt they made a mistake by picking me. I am so excited for this fight and I am going to make the best of it. I know I am going to come in there 100 percent prepared and do what I have to do to get the victory.
“I know Antoine from the amateurs although we never sparred or boxed. I know he is a good fighter and this will be a good fight. This is what boxing needs, two undefeated fighters facing each other and what better place than on ShoBox.’’
Barroso, 32, is a power-punching nine-year pro who’s making his ShoBox, U.S. and 2015 debut. The well-traveled Barroso turned pro in August 2005, had two draws in his first six fights, but has won 12 straight since, 11 by way of knockout. In his most recent outing last Dec. 5, the devastating Barroso destroyed Maximiliano Galindo, scoring four knockdowns — one in the first and second and two in the third — en route to a third-round knockout.
Kinda, 27, who was born in Ouagadougou (pronounced wa-ga-DOO-goo), Burkina Faso, is making his 14th start in New York. Kinda turned pro in January 2009 and won his initial 16 fights, including the New York state 140-pound title. He is coming off a second-round TKO over Kevin Carter last Jan. 17 in Tennessee.
“My style is moving, punching and attacking people,” said Kinda, an accomplished amateur who was the 2007 African Championships silver medalist at 132 pounds. “I want do my best to be known as a good fighter in the U.S., and around the world. This is my first shot to prove myself on a big stage and I’m not going to let it slip away.
“His power doesn’t scare me. I’ll be ready.”
The Odom-Hernandez bout has “grudge” written all over it. “There’s obviously some intrigue in the rematch because of the way the first fight ended,’’ Farhood said. “Odom proved in his one ShoBoxappearance to be a very exciting, big punching prospect and I can’t wait to see him again.’’
Odom, 21, a top amateur and 2012 National Golden Gloves Champion at 178 pounds, had a 12-fight win streak end on Jan. 9, 2015, when he was disqualified in the fourth round for continuing to punch and land shots after he’d dropped Hernandez with a flurry of punches. The crowd booed, but Hernandez was clearly down.
“This time it will be a totally different fight,’’ Odom insisted. “I will leave no doubt. I was on my way to winning easily and he was out to try and give me my first loss anyway he could. So he just quit. I’m looking forward to March 13 to avenge that loss and get the win that I should have the last time we fought.”
In his ShoBox debut, Odom overcame the first cut of his career to register two knockdowns—in the fourth and seventh rounds—en route to knocking out previously undefeated Vilier Quinonez (8-0 going in) in the seventh round on July 25, 2014.
Hernandez, 29, scoffs at the notion that he quit and concedes that while Odom is talented, it was his opponent who was the one looking for a way out.
“I find it hilarious that he says I quit,’’ Hernandez said. “I honestly think the reason why he got disqualified is because he was looking for a way out. All his talk has me absolutely looking forward to this fight. I don’t want just a victory, I want a knockout and I’m going to get it. He can say what he wants, but I guarantee you. I’m going to stop him.
“Odom’s really talented and very strong, no doubt about it, but that may go against him and I’m going to make him pay. He throws very wide punches and is not a very good boxer. He’s obviously talented and has a lot of knockouts but if you have boxing skills and can take a punch, you can pretty much take him apart.
“I felt I was landing what I wanted in the first fight and feel I would have stopped him. I thought I was doing fine the first three rounds. And now I know what I’m up against. He can say what he wants, but he was the one who head-butted me several times. One finally cut me right on my ear and it cost me seven stitches.’’
Lopez, 24, and Cruz, 28, will be making their ShoBox and eight-round debuts and will be fighting for the first time outside of Texas. It is unquestionably the most dangerous fight to date for both prospects.
A top amateur before going pro in February 2012, Lopez has scored two knockouts in a row, including a fifth-round TKO over Leonardo Torrez in his most recent scrap last Aug. 30.
Cruz was also an accomplished amateur. Due to his dual citizenship –his father hails from El Salvador – Cruz competed for El Salvador in the amateurs, was a 2011 Salvador National Amateur Champion and made it to El Salvador’s Olympic Trials. Cruz has fought three times since last September. In his last outing he won a six-round unanimous decision over Manuel Rubalcava on Jan. 22, 2015.
The fighters are confident of making the next step in their career a successful one, and both anticipate a terrific battle.
“It’s going to be a really good fight,’’ said Lopez, an aggressive counter-puncher who’s trained by former two-time world champion Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez. “We’re familiar with each other. We sparred once. I’m not going in totally blind. I expect a competitive fight. We are both undefeated and from Texas.’’
“I think it’s going to be a super fight. Lopez is a great fighter. I have heard excellent things about him,” said Cruz. “This is going to be a huge challenge for me. It’s going to be a great show. I am going to work and do my thing. I’m ready and excited to walk out of that ring undefeated.’’
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.
Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall withRichard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 58 fighters who have appeared onShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.