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From Pretender to Contender: The growth of undefeated Middleweight contender Thomas "Cornflake" LaManna PhilBoxing.com Tue, 16 Sep 2014 Millville, NJ (September 15, 2014)--Undefeated Middleweight, Thomas LaManna has been proving the doubters wrong since he turned professional in 2011 After a pedestrian amateur career that saw LaManna go just 20-21 plus his "Boy Next Door" looks not much was expected for the now 22-year old. One thing that he did have going for him was that grew up around the sport as his father Vinny LaManna was a longtime manager and promoter. "Growing up around the sport is what piqued my interest into wanting to become a boxer,"said the Millville, New Jersey native He signed a promotional contract with Vincent Ponte's Gulfstream Promotions and he started on his professional journey. LaManna started his career with a 1st round stoppage over Anthony Williams on February 11, 2011 in Atlantic City. LaManna continued to win as he gradually stepped up the competition but he continued to hear from critics that he would be nothing more then a fighter who would only succeed at the local level. But as the wins kept on coming, the ringside pundits became less vocal and some even started to write more positive articles about young LaManna. LaManna has scored wins over tough journeymen Josh Williams and Yolexcy Leiva. LaManna credits a fight against Joshua Snyder that took place on March 8, 2013 in Atlantic City as a turning point in his career. Thomas pounded out a hard fought 6-round unanimous decision in a fight where he took some punches but fought through some facial swelling. "The fight against Snyder was my first crossroads fight. He was coming off wins over Aaron Pryor Jr., Maxell Taylor and John Mackey and that was the fight at that point of my career to show people I belonged." He then went on to score wins over trial horses Jeremy Yelton and Joshua Robertson before signing a co-promotional contract with Hall of Fame promoter Russell Peltz and Peltz Boxing. Peltz is known for testing his fighters and LaManna was no different as in his first bout with Peltz, LaManna fought veteran Ashandi Gibbs. Gibbs had a record of 10-3 but LaManna was able to use his boxing ability to score the 8-round unanimous decision "That was a tough fight coming off a layoff but I needed that fight to make me better." In his last bout, LaManna stepped up his competition even more as he took on grizzled and battle tested Jamaal Davis. There was a lot of talk around the tri-state boxing community that LaManna would get a serious test and for the first couple rounds he did. He took some flush shots from Davis, who had previously fought Peter Quillin, Gabriel Rosado, Joel Julio, Yuri Foreman and Jorge Melendez to name a few. After the first two rounds, LaManna settled down and slowly broke Davis down mixing up shots to the head and body and went on to win a clear unanimous decision. "I think people overlook him because he looks like your next door neighbor," said Hall of Fame Promoter J Russell Peltz. "He has good size and he is a real student of the game. He knows fights and fighters. He showed me a lot in the Davis fight. He dug himself a hole but he came on down the stretch. I think he is going places", finished Peltz"" "I think his development is right on schedule. He came into his own and he has not only surprised myself but a lot of the critics. He has passed any and every test that any and every promoter has put in front of his with with flying colors. In his next fight, I would like to see him fight the caliber of former world champion like Ishe Smith or a Pawel Wolak.", said LaManna's Manager/Father Vinny LaManna "The fight with Davis brought me up another level and I think now some of my early critics realize that I have the talent and potential to do good things in the sport.", finished Thomas LaManna.  |
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