LaManna crushes Crabtree

By Kurt Wolfheimer at ringside

Unbeaten Millville, New Jersey junior middleweight sensation Tommy “Cornflake” LaManna (7-0, 5KO’s) continued his winning ways before a near sellout crowd of about eight hundred strong on Friday night with a well deserved third round stoppage of Hilliard, Ohio’s Daniel Crabtree (3-4, 3KO’s) at Nutley High School in Nutley, New Jersey. In the co-feature of the card promoted by Gabe Laconte’s First round Promotions, nearby Paterson, New Jersey middleweight Richard Pierson (10-2, 7KO’s) returned to the ring for the first time after a two year layoff with a first round stoppage twenty-two fight veteran Anibal Acevedo of Moca, Puerto Rico.

LaManna, the former Golden Gloves champion and newly crown BAM titleholder, looked extremely confident in the early going, establishing his combinations behind his powerful left jabs. Giving up over six inches in height and several inches in reach, Daniel Crabtree had to be patient but eventually worked his way inside with bodywork. Tommy LaManna was game though and even won many of the exchanges on the inside during the opening round.

Crabtree had to fight a bit on the retreat due to the aggressiveness of LaManna, but finally found his distance early in round two with two big right hands on the chin. LaManna’s beard was tested but he passed with flying colors, stepping back and begging for more, while unleashing a big flurry of his own.

It was clear as round three began that Crabtree was withering from the onslaught and pressure brought on by the young up and comer nicknamed Cornflake. Late in the round, LaManna pressed his opponent to the ropes and forced him to cover. A double left hook to the body and head wobbled Crabtree, who retreated across the ring. LaManna sensed his opponent was in deep trouble and unleashed a vicious flurry of eight unanswered shots. Crabtree tried to hold on and then run again but got caught on the ropes. LaManna pounced on him like a lion on his injured prey, with another furious five punch combination as Crabtree became nearly defenseless. Referee Randy Neumann had seen enough and stepped in and called a halt to the proceedings at the two thirty mark of the third round.

“I knew he would be my toughest test two date, having never been stopped,” said a jubilant Tommy LaManna afterwards. “He hit me with a couple good shots in the second, but I easily took them and in the third in finished him with a double left hook to the body and head. I came through this fight without any cuts so it looks like I will be back in the ring again in March.”

LaManna has grown leaps and bounds since his professional debut and his size and reach could make him a very dangerous prospect in the junior middleweight division.

In the co-feature of the evening, Patterson, New Jersey’s Richard Pierson (10-2, 7KO’s) needed only three minutes to catch his second victory on his comeback trail with TKO of forty year old Puerto Rican Anibal Acevedo (13-9-1, 11KO’s). Pierson in just his first fight after a two year hiatus, was tentative early in feeling out a nervous Acevedo He seemed to get more comfortable though as the seconds counted away. Pierson had found his rhythm by the two minute mark and was mixing in a few good body shots on the retreating Acevedo. As the round came to a close Acevedo was holding his side as he went to the corner. It did not look like much, but it became worse and his corner immediately told the referee that he would be unable to continue. The injury appeared to worsen in the corner as he writhed in pain. His corner and the ringside medical staff quickly laid him on the mat before taking him out on a stretcher. No word on his injury as the night came to a close but he was whisked away to a local hospital get a further diagnosis. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Anibal Acevedo that he recovers quickly.

Newark, New Jersey’s John Thompson (6-0,2KO’s) easily outclassed Mayaguez, Puerto Rico’s Laureano Laracuente (7-5-1, 2KO’s), scoring a third round stoppage in their schedule four round middleweight contest.

Thompson wobbled Laracuente in the first and tried to put him away with eight unanswered shots. Laracuente was slick enough to make it to the bell and recovered in the corner. He clearly never had an answer for the superior hand speed and combinations of Thompson. Late in round three, you could see it was only a matter of time as John Thompson landed almost at will on the fading Laracuente. Between rounds Laracuente’s corner had seen enough and the bout was stopped at the three minute mark of the third round.

Exciting Carteret New Jersey heavyweight John “The Breed” Lennox (10-1, 5KO’s) had to get off the canvas to capture a stirring first round knockout of a very raw Miles Kelly of Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

It was said in camp that the heavy handed Lennox was working on his defense to improve his chances a he steps up the heavyweight ladder, but it still needs a lot to be desired. Moments into the opening round, Miles Kelly was swinging wide slapping combinations. Lennox tried to cover, but one right hand landed cleanly right on the button and he fell to the canvas in a neutral corner. Lennox rose to his feet and looked on unsteady legs as he wobbled while clinched. Moments later he regained his senses and quickly turned the fight around pushing Kelly back to the ropes with a heavy straight right. Kelly tried to swing away, but a Lennox patented one two combo sent him crashing to the canvas. Referee Randy Neumann reached the ten count with Miles Kelly still seated on the canvas at 1:28 of the opening round.

Iraqi war veteran Godson “Soldier Boy” Noel looked impressive in his debut dropping Alabama’s Satchell “The N Train” James twice en-route to a first round stoppage.

Noel of nearby Newark, New Jersey gave his strong contingent of fans something to cheer about as he rocked fellow professional debutant Satchell James with a double right –left hook combo. Satchell James tried to escape, but another right had him desperately trying to hold on as legs became rubbery. Godson Noel swung another right hand, but actually threw a clinging James to the canvas. It was ruled a knockdown though. James looked in bad shape and tried to cover after rising to his feet but another big three punch combination forced him to take a knee. The fight was waived off without a count at 2:59 of the opening round, giving Noel the TKO victory.

Highly regarded middleweight prospect Alantez “Sly as a Fox” Fox (7-0, 3KO’s) had some scary moments in his four round unanimous decision victory over a very game, but outgunned Fitzgerald Johnson.

Fox of Millersville, Maryland owned a several inch reach advantage and used it in the early going with sharp flurries to keep Johnson at bay. Late in the second round, Fitzgerald Johnson of Newark, New Jersey almost upset Fox’s apple cart, wobbling him with a left hook on the chin. Johnson went after him with several wide shots but Fox weathered the storm. Fox regained control in the third as Johnson tired from the crisp combinations that rained down upon him. Fox new that Johnson was still dangerous though and out boxed his desperate and tired opponent throughout the final round for the unanimous decision victory by scores 39-37 across the board.

Hard hitting local heavyweight Aaron “The Animal” Kinch (2-0-1, 1KO) of Newark, New Jersey put together his best performance to date in scoring a third round technical stoppage of Winchester Virginia’s Donnie Crawford (1-4, 3KO’s) in their scheduled four round contest.

Kinch took control in the second round with vicious right hands that battered a game but outgunned Crawford around the ring. Kinch continued the onslaught throughout the third round. Crawford went the bicycle desperately trying to survive. Kinch put a perfect right hook just under the rib cage and Crawford collapsed to the canvas. Randy Neumann immediately waived the fight off without a count at 2:39 of the third round.

In the opening bout of the evening, Jonathan Garcia (2-1, 1KO) pulled the upset, handing fellow Puerto Rican Jose Javier Calderon (3-1,3KO’s) his first loss a professional with a hard fought four round majority decision victory.

Calderon was the stronger puncher throughout, but he had no answer for the non-stop punching of Jonathan Garcia. By the end of round three, Calderon had a cut on his left eye and a welt under his right eye from the countless flurries. Garcia did tire in the fourth and final round as Calderon desperately looked to land a blow that would put him on the canvas. Garcia was smart though and flurried just enough to prevent Garcia from really opening up, giving him the majority decision victory by scores of 38-38 and 39-37 x 2.

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February 18th, 2012

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