LaManna, Meng, Zhilei victorious

Photo: Darryl Cobb

By John DiSanto at ringsideThomas “Cornflake” LaManna, 21-1, 9 KOs, made short work of Mexican Engelberto Valenzuela, 10-8, 3 KOs, in a scheduled 6-round junior middleweight bout. LaManna jumped right on his opponent at the opening bell. Then after trapping Valenzuela in his own corner, LaManna relentlessly fired an extended volley to his head. However it was when Cornflake landed a single shot to Engelberto’s body, that the Mexican folded to the canvas and referee Harvey Dock stopped the fight immediately. The time was 2:17 of the first round.

Light heavyweight Fanlong Meng, 8-0, 6 KOs, remained undefeated with an impressive beat down of veteran Daniel Judah, 24-11-3, 11 KOs, in their scheduled 8-rounder. The 2012 Olympian for China, won the first four rounds against Judah before going for the kill in round five. Meng backed Judah to the ropes and uncorked a hard left that sent the New Yorker reeling. The ropes clearly kept Judah from hitting the canvas. So referee Rickey Gonzalez called it a knockdown. He looked at Judah and began to count, but then called a sudden stop to the fight. The time was 2:08 of the fifth. Gonzalez called the result a KO (and not a TKO).

In the opening bout at Atlantic City’s Claridge Hotel, 2008 Olympic Silver Medalist for China, Zhang Zhilei, 11-0, 7 KOs, won a 6-round unanimous decision over Californian Rodney Hernandez, 10-5-1, 2 KOs, in a heavyweight bout. Southpaw Zhilei drilled his opponent with power lefts all night and opened a nasty cut over Hernandez’s right eye. All three judges scored the fight for Zhilei, 59-55 and 60-53 twice.