Atlantic City has steadily reestablished itself as one of professional boxing’s top destinations.
The resort was host to 10 cards for the second straight year at four different venues – Bally’s Atlantic City, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and Tropicana Atlantic City.
It marked the busiest two-year period for boxing in Atlantic City since it also had 20 total shows in 2017-18.
Most importantly, Atlantic City was home to a major championship fight at Boardwalk Hall’s main arena for the first time in over a decade.
An estimated crowd of 8,000 watched welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis of Philadelphia gain a sixth-round TKO over Lithuania’s Eimantas Stanionis last April 12. It marked the first boxing event at Boardwalk Hall since November 8, 2014, when then-light-heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalez earned a unanimous decision over legendary Bernard Hopkins.
R&B Promotions president Alex Barbosa staged four cards in 2025 at Hard Rock while Margate native Larry Goldberg of Boxing Insider Promotions enjoyed a second straight successful year at Tropicana with three cards.
The year in boxing ended when Debra LaManna and son Thomas of Vineland-based Rising Star Promotions celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a card at Bally’s last month.
This year kicks off for Atlantic City boxing on February 7 at Hard Rock with a R&B Promotions card that is scheduled to include Mays Landing heavyweight Rodney Brooks (5-0, 5 KOs) and Atlantic City light-heavyweight Christian Figueroa (1-0, 1 KO).
Figueroa’s brother, unbeaten super-welterweight Justin Figueroa (14-0, 11 KOs) will headline a Boxing Insiders show at the Trop on March 7. Smithville heavyweight Bruce Seldon Jr. (8-0, 6 KOs), former Somers Point heavyweight Josh Popper (5-0, 5 KOs) and Pleasantville super-lightweight Julio Sanchez III (3-1, 2 KOs) are also slated to be on the card.
Before the first punch is thrown in 2026, however, let’s highlight the fights, fighters and other people who helped make 2025 such a fantastic year for boxing on the boardwalk.
Local Fighter of the Year: Thomas LaManna (40-6-1, 19 KOs). The Millville middleweight gets the award for the third straight year. The 34-year-old LaManna posted a fifth-round TKO over Juan Rodriguez at Bally’s last month, then announced his retirement after a 15-year pro career that began during his senior year at Millville High School in 2011. LaManna’s 40 career wins tied former heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon of Atlantic City for the second-most career victories among local fighters. The late Richie Kates of Bridgeton won 44 fights as a light-heavyweight.
Local Prospect of the Year: Justin Figueroa (14-0, 11 KOs) went unbeaten in three fights in 2025. The Holy Spirit High School graduate and Atlantic City native earned a second-round TKO over Mario Gaston Rios at the Trop, took an eight-round, unanimous decision over Jarron Tenant in San Antonio, then returned to Atlantic City to stop Jose Edgardo Perdomo at the end of four rounds.
(Runnersup: Brooks, Pleasantville bantamweight Francisco Rodriguez, Seldon Jr..
Crossover Fighter of the Year: Anthony Young. The Pleasantville welterweight (23-3, 8 KOs) put his boxing career on hold to play baseball for Atlantic Cape Community College last spring. The 37-year-old hadn’t played the sport since Little League.
Honorable mention: Jeff Lentz. The former boxer and MMA competitor from Egg Harbor Township made his BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) debut last October and scored a first-round knockout at the Prudential Center in Newark.
Speaking of BKFC, Mays Landing’s Dalvin Blair (2-1), won two fights in the sport in 2025, including a four-second KO in his debut last March.
Trainer of the Year: Julio Sanchez II. Sanchez, who heads the boxing program at the Pleasantville Rec Center, gets the award for the second straight year. He works the corner for Brooks, Sanchez III, Seldon and several others. (Honorable mention: Arnold Robbins).
Managers of the Year: Jim Kurtz/David Dubinsky. Kurtz, a Buena Vista Township resident and Holy Spirit graduate, and Dubinsky are also repeat winners as co-managers for DKO Boxing. Seldon Jr. and Sanchez III are part of their stable of fighters, along with world-ranked contenders Edward Vazquez, William Foster and Brittany Sims.
Promoter of the Year: Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Boxing. As Jaron Ennis’ promoter, he obviously played a major role in bringing boxing back to Boardwalk Hall’s main arena. Kudo also to Premier Boxing Champions, Boardwalk Hall officials, the Atlantic City Sports Commission and the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame for making it such a special night.
MMA update: Atlantic City has always been viewed as a popular venue for mixed martial arts and 2025 was no exception.
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) returned to Atlantic City for the first time in four years when they held its welterweight and featherweight tournament championship matches at Boardwalk Hall on August 1.
Vineland-based Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC), led by owner Rob Haydak, continued its loyalty to Atlantic City by holding three events at Hard Rock in 2025. Ring of Combat remained a boardwalk staple with four cards at the Trop in 2025.
David is a nationally recognized sports columnist who has covered Philadelphia and local sports for over 40 years. After 35 years with The Press, he has served as a columnist for 973ESPN.com and created his own Facebook page, Dave Weinberg Extra Points. Send comments to weinbergd419@comcast.net.
