Millville middleweight boxer Thomas LaManna will be ending his career on Saturday where it started almost 15 years ago.
LaManna (39-6-1, 18 KOs) will face Union City’s Juan Rodriguez Jr. (14-9, 6 KOs) at Bally’s Atlantic City. He made his pro debut in the same arena on February 11, 2011 with a first-round TKO over Anthony Williams (0-2), of Wilson, North Carolina.
“I’ve done a lot in my career, but I’ve still got one more walk,” LaManna said on Facebook. “And I’m going out where it all began.”
It began during LaManna’s senior year at Millville High School. He actually fought twice at Bally’s before graduating in June, posting a pair of first-round TKOs.
He’s ending it as a 34-year-old married father of a young daughter.
Saturday’s bout marks the end of what has been a long and successful career that serves as a testament to LaManna’s patience and perseverance.
A victory over Rodriguez would be the 40th of his career, tying him with former World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon (40-8, 36 KOs) for the second-most wins among local boxers in the last 60 years.
The late Richie Kates (44-6, 23 KOs), a former light-heavyweight contender from Bridgeton, holds the record.
Although he grew up in Millville, Atlantic City is his boxing home. Saturday’s bout will be his 25th on the Boardwalk, where he is 23-0-1.
His career has featured fights in other locales, however, including the Millville Motorsports Park, Los Angeles, Orlando and even Mexico.
When Covid shut down the sports world in 2020-21, the enterprising LaManna headed south of the border with his promotional company, Rising Star Promotions, to hold two fights La Terraza Sports Bar in Agua Preita, just across from Douglas, Arizona.
Along the way, he followed Kates, Seldon, the late Levander Johnson (IBF lightweight champion) and John Brown to become one of the few local fighters to vie for a world title.
He lost via first-round knockout to WBA champion Erislandy Lara, but bounced back to reel off nine straight wins before suffering a sixth-round defeat to former WBC middleweight champ Jermall Charlo last May in Las Vegas.
“I’ve had a lot of great opportunities, a lot of great moments,” LaManna told BoxingScene.com. “I’m glad that I did it my way and that I’m able to end my career on my terms.
In addition to it being his final fight, Saturday also marks another milestone for him.
It was almost exactly 10 years ago that LaManna and his mother, Debra LaManna, formed Rising Star Promotions.
They staged their first show on December 5, 2015 at Claridge Atlantic City and have held 20 more in town at Bally’s, Claridge, Showboat Atlantic City and Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall’s Adrian Phillips Ballroom.
LaManna will continue his role as a promoter, but first, there is one more fight.
One more chance to climb through the ropes.
“(Saturday) is going to be the end of a good journey,” he said. “I got to live my dream through boxing.”
Cedar Creek earns state title
Before the season began, Cedar Creek High School coach James Melody thought the Pirates had the potential to win a state championship.
He was right.
The Pirates (12-2) completed a superb season by winning the state Group 3 title with a 34-7 victory over defending champion Old Tappan last Friday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Aamir Dunbar led the Pirates by rushing for 117 yards and two touchdowns. Gyan King returned the second-half kickoff 84 yards for a TD. Jahmir Campfield and Junior Bethea also scored TDs. Bethea, Campfield and King also paced the defense with interceptions.
“This was 12 months in the making,” Melody told The Press of Atlantic City. “We said this is what we wanted to do back in January. We had our ups and downs throughout the season, but we stuck to the task.”
Cedar Creek, which opened in 2010 and played its first varsity football season in 2011, became the third local public-school team to win a state title since the current format was established in 2022.
Millville won the state Group 4 championship in 2022 while Mainland Regional won the same division a year later.
Local NFL update
Three area players were in action on Thanksgiving Day, including one game that saw two former Cape-Atlantic League standouts playing against one another.
Dallas Cowboys safety Markquese Bell (Bridgeton) had two tackles in a 31-28 victory over running back Isiah Pacheco (Vineland) and the Kansas City Chiefs. Pacheco had three carries for 16 yards and had two receptions for 17 yards.
Also on Thursday, Green Bay Packers wide receiver/defensive back/kick returner Bo Melton (Cedar Creek, Mays Landing) had two rushed for 16 yards and also returned four kickoffs for 95 yards in a 31-24 win over the Detroit Lions.
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Max Melton (Cedar Creek, Mays Landing), Bo’s younger brother, missed the Cardinals’ 20-17 loss to Tampa Bay with a heel injury.
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.
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