Dusty Hernandez-Harrison, Thomas LaManna Battle In Philly on Sept. 15
by Seamus McNally
Washington D.C. welterweight Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (29–0–1, 16 KOs) squares off with Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (21–1, 9 KOs) of Millville, New Jersey in a scheduled 10-round fight on Thursday, September 15 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia in the main event of a CBS Sports Network televised card promoted by Hall of Famer Russell Peltz.
The pair of young prospects have a prior history, sparring back in 2014 at Old School Boxing Gym in Fort Washington, Md. Both fighters have become popular draws in their respective home areas, with Hernandez-Harrison, 22, fighting 11 times in D.C. and LaManna, 24, fighting 18 times in his home state of New Jersey.
The fight was originally scheduled a day later on the 16th at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City off TV but the venue is closing down after Labor Day, causing a change in scenery that worked out for the better. The fight will now be nationally televised and take place in a neutral location with both fighters expected to bring a large contingent of fans to the City of Brother Love that has become synonymous with boxing due to Joe Frazier, Bernard Hopkins, and the Rocky movies.
“This is the kind of fight boxing needs at this juncture,” Peltz said. “We have two young prospects at the same level meeting in a logical location – New Jersey against Washington, D.C., in Philadelphia. Boxing needs more fights like this in this kind of setting. This is the best fight for each of these fighters at this point of their careers.”
Hernandez-Harrison is coming off a disputed split draw against Mike Dallas Jr. on May 13 at the D.C. Armory on BET in a fight many felt Dallas should have gotten the nod.
“As long as you learn and move forward, that’s the most important thing,” Hernandez-Harrison said.
“This fight is a big opportunity for both of us,” Hernandez-Harrison said. “The winner will get a top-15 world ranking by the IBF, and that’s what this is about. I have known Thomas for a long time, but that all goes out the window when we step into the ring.”
The last time LaManna faced a boxer from the DMV, things did not go so well. LaManna was dropped three times and ultimately stopped in the sixth-round by Antoine Douglas of Burke, Va. in a middleweight bout in the main event of a ShoBox card in March 2015. LaManna has won five consecutive fights since, while gradually dropping down in weight to welterweight.
“I’ve been looking forward to this fight for a long time,” LaManna said. “Our careers have run parallel. Dusty will bring plenty of fans to support him that night, and the same goes for me. It’s an intriguing match for both of us, and it’s in a natural setting where it belongs.”
With both fighters needing a win in order to advance to the next stage of their careers, it should be a very exciting encounter. A loss for either pugilist would send them back to square one and severely hamper their goals of winning a world title.
In the co-feature bout, super middleweight Jerry “2 Tickets 2 Paradise” Odom (14–2–1, 13 KOs) of Bowie, Md. takes on Taneal Goyco (8–9–1, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia.
Odom scored the biggest win of his career in his last fight on July 22 at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Ct. with a third-round knockout of Julius Jackson (19–2, 15 KOs) on ShoBox.
Goyco is 2–1 against DMV fighters in his career. He knocked out Baltimore’s Jeremy Trussell, who was 8–0 at the time, in the sixth round at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore back in April 2014. Goyco was stopped four months later in August in the fourth round by Demond “D’Best At It” Nicholson (17–1–1, 16 KOs) of Laurel, Md., also at the Patapsco Arena. Most recently, Goyco handed Baltimore native Devin Butcher (5–1, 3 KOs) his first loss via split decision on May 14 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.
