New Look Thomas LaManna Knocks Out Witt at Boardwalk Hall
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent – Ringside
*Photo Credit: Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media
Atlantic City, NJ (July 24th, 2023)– Welterweight turned middleweight Thomas LaManna does not look his nickname ‘Cornflake’ of late. His new look physique is well-toned, and his boxing ability is more refined. LaManna looks like he is going somewhere. With trainer Bozy Ennis in his corner, LaManna, in the key bout of a six bout card at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, knocked out Juan Manuel Witt at 2::47 of the third round to retain his World Boxing Association Fedelatin Middleweight regional title.
LaManna, 36-5-1 with 15 knockouts, Millville, New Jersey, showed strong jab presence and hook power in disposing of Witt, 33-2-2 with 25 knockouts, Campana, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Witt had gone 33-0-2 between 2008 and 2016, with all bouts except his final one in Argentina, his last bout during his 35 bout unbeaten stretch in Tijuana, Mexico. Witt was a lightweight and super lightweight.
None of Witt’s previous bouts were title bouts, or held in the United States. Witt returned to the ring in 2022 after five years of inactivity absence, getting knocked out in the sixth round of a UBO International Super Welterweight bout before getting knocked out by LaManna in a WBA Middleweight regional bout. Witt’s return fell short because he decided to make a comeback twice in the wrong weight classes. That, and Witt looked small against the taller, larger sized LaManna, who looked like he was swatting a fly for nine minutes. Finally, LaManna landed hooks to Witt’s head and dropped him. Witt go up, and got hit in the head with hooks again. This time, Witt took the count from referee Ricardo Vera, who waved the bout off as a knockout with Witt down on all fours, and clearly out.
In the post fight interview, LaManna continued to state he wanted a rematch with Erislandy Lara, a Cuban who still holds the regular world Middleweight title, though Lara has been inactive since May 2022, since stopping Gary O’Sullivan. This reporter would reather see a rematch between LaManna and Jorge Cota first. The WBA regular Middleweight title, by virtue of LaManna’s WBA Fedelatin title, could put LaManna in the mix for the WBA regular world title belt if Lara, who turned 40 years old in April 2023, gets stripped after over one year of ring inactivity.
Result: Thomas LaManna KO 3 Juan Manuel Witt, Middleweights (2:47)
Witt down twice in third round. Referee Ricardo Vera waves bout off upon second knockdown.
Undercard Results at Boardwalk Hall Atlantic City
Kristian Prenga KO 1 Santander Silgado Velez, Heavyweights (1:22)
Albanian Heavyweight Prenga, 14-1 with 14 knockouts, Niagara Falls, Canada, in tip top physical condition and form, retained the WBA Fedecentro Heavyweight title. Prenga threw a massive right hook with Silgado in a corner. From a distance, it appeared the Prenga right hook might have missed as it was thrown so fast. Silgado went straight backwards, after either being hit, or trying to avoid the punch. Former cruiserweight contender Silgado was so out of shape any punch of note would have finished him anyway. Prenga’s 14 wins are all by knockout, and Silgado did not figure, by his appearance entering the ring, to be in the sort of condition to go the distance.
Justin Figueroa Win 6 Jeff Lentz, Super Welterweights
Scoring: 59-55, 59-55, 58-56 Figueroa.
Scoring Real Combat Media: 58-56 Figueroa.
A frustrated Figueroa, 6-0 with five knockouts, Atlantic City, New Jersey, got taken the distance for the first time by MMA fighter and sometimes boxer Lentz, 5-2 with one knockout, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. This was the fight of the night, and a nasty war, with Lentz wrestling Figueroa around the ring while hanging tough. Lentz could have won this bout, and came close, after he figured out Figueroa could not do anything with him. For Figueroa, a step up in level of opposition and a good test. Lentz swung away and won the sixth round, but his effort was too late to win on the scorecards.
Nadim Sallum TKO 2 Ismael Ocles, Light Heavyweights (3:00) Corner Retirement
11-1 Lebanese light heavyweight prospect Sallum turned 12-13-2 Ecuadorian journeyman Ocles’ face intoa human punching bag. Ocles physically looked like a miniature version of the late WBA World Heavyweight champion Michael ‘Dynamite’ Dokes, but he did not fight like Dokes. Sallum’s corner was loud in wanting this bout stopped to prevent a tragedy. Referee Harvey Dock, as well as the Ocles corner, were in agreement after the second round.
Daniel Gonzalez (Pro Debut) KO 2 Michael Ruiz, Lightweights (3:00)
Debuting Gonzalez knocks out 0-1 Ruiz at the three minutes mark as the round ended. Gonzalez is a good looking prospect from Iselin, New Jersey, and appears to be going places.
Sharanya Taina-Moreu Win 4 Janaisa Morandin, Female Super Lightweights
Scoring: 40-37, 40-37, 40-37 Taina-Moreu. Four minute rounds.
Former nine times amateur champion Taina-Moreu debuts. Taina-Moreu physically resembles Amanda Serrano but appears a foot taller, with a wicked jab in the face of her opponent. The smaller 0-2 Brazilian Morandin hung tough and threw some decent counters, though she took a rough beating for much of the contest. One round appeared about even.
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