After 14 years as a professional, Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will call it a career on December 6.
The 33-year-old from Millville, New Jersey says he will hang up his gloves for good after his next fight, which takes place at Bally’s Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. LaManna, 39-6-1 (18 KOs), will face fellow New Jersey fan favorite Juan "The Beast" Rodriguez Jnr, 14-9 (6 KOs), in a ten-round middleweight fight.
The show will be presented by LaManna’s own Rising Star Promotions company, which he will continue to operate once his own fighting days are over. This show will give LaManna the opportunity to bring his career to a close in the same building where he stopped Anthony Williams in 51 seconds back in his pro debut in 2011.
“I’ve had a lot of great opportunities, a lot of great moments. I’m glad that I did it my way, I’m glad that I’m able to end my career on my terms,” said LaManna, a former middleweight title challenger who is looking to bounce back from a sixth round stoppage loss to Jermall Charlo in May.
“I’m just excited to get in the ring one last time to fight a guy like Juan. Everybody has been wanting to see this fight on the New Jersey circuit for quite some time since we both turned pro at the same time. It’s gonna be the end of a good journey. I got to live my dream through boxing.”
The southpaw Rodriguez, 39, of Union City, New Jersey was a celebrated amateur during the 2000s, earning a bronze at the 2009 National Golden Gloves. After starting his career 11-0, Rodriguez’s career hit turbulence beginning in 2014, and he has served as mostly a stepping stone to up-and-coming fighters like Brian Norman Jnr, who stopped him in the first round back in 2020. Rodriguez’s highest profile win came in 2016, when he upset Alex "The Brick City Bullet" Perez by split decision in a New Jersey grudge match.
Rodriguez had been off for nearly four years before returning this past Saturday in Mexico, when he stopped Freddy Lopez in two rounds.
Rodriguez says his goal for the year was just to get back in shape - the career welterweight had ballooned up to 210lbs while working as a truck driver during his layoff - but says the call to face LaManna gave him the motivation to get serious about training.
“Sucks it got to be Tommy,” said Rodriguez, who trains with Guillermo “Lucky” Sanabria out of Ringside Boxing Gym in Jersey City, New Jersey. “I respect him and he put me on a couple of his shows and I always showed out. I feel honored that Tommy chose me to be his final fight. It’s a fight that’s long overdue. We’re gonna have a good war in that ring.
“This fight is a little personal to myself, to see if I got one last shot in boxing or if it’s time to hang it up. I don’t feel my age. I still feel that I got it.”
Other bouts slated for the card include Danny Barrios, 17-1 (6 KOs), against Elon Dejesus, 11-1-2 (8 KOs), in a ten-round junior featherweight bout, while Thomas Blumenfeld, 10-0 (9 KOs), Ofacio Falcon, 13-0 (7 KOs), Kahshad Elliot, 6-0 (5 KOs), and Lisandra Contreras, 2-0, will also be in action.
