VINNY LaMANNA: BOXING MANAGER
He didn’t start out as most in the boxing business but Vinny LaManna has accomplished a lot in his twenty-plus years in boxing.
LaManna, who now resides in Toms River, New Jersey wasn’t even particularly a sports fan until he walked into a bar in Northern New Jersey and was captivated by what he saw what was playing on the television.
“It was the 1988 Seoul Olympics and they were showing a fight involving (eventual Gold Medalist) Ray Mercer and thought to myself wow what an exciting athlete and from there my love and passion for the sport was born”, said the forty-eight year old father of three.
LaManna then became friends with Greg Pessolano who was an agent with Triple Threat boxing who just happened to be the management company of Mercer.
Through the mutual friends, LaManna was introduced to Mercer and that sparked LaManna’s interest in getting into the business.
“Any fool with $20 can get a managers license” and then LaManna preceded to manage a Light Heavyweight named Anthony Sutton.
“Sutton lost his first fight with me and he never fought again”
That didn’t deter LaManna as he has gone on to manage over forty-plus fighters that included His only world champion, IBF Cruiserweight champion Imanu Mayfield, Leo Loiacano, Michael Covington, Derrick Graham, and his influence into boxing Ray Mercer.
“I have done shows with the biggest names. We have been involved with fights with Don King, Bob Arum, Goossen, you name it”
Mayfield, who was LaManna’s only champion was actually brought to him after his manager Curtis Ford had a brain aneurysm.
Loiacano was big ticket seller in North Jersey so that brought LaManna a name in his home area.
Graham was the one that LaManna could have been great as he said that he had all the talent but never took the sport serious.
“Mercer and Mayfield were able to make handsome livings”
LaManna has had his battles and detractors over the years but has mostly good things to say about the business.
On the present New Jersey Boxing Commission “Larry Hazzard knew the sport and currant Aaron Davis is a fair man and because of his regulating we have seen an increase in live events”
LaManna has been at the championship level but now he is involved in his most personal project in managing his own son, Twenty-year old undefeated Jr. Middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna.
“I don’t have to be as careful and he is learning more and more. All of my decisions are business and the fights we make, I have to take the mindset that he was any other fighter that I have managed”
The younger LaManna will be back in the ring this Saturday night at Ballys in Atlantic City (www.gfl.tv -$9.99 at 7:30 pm) when he takes on Yolexcy Leiva in a bout scheduled for six rounds.
LaManna has seen some distract changing in the game in his two decades in the business.
“There are some bad people and the sport needs to be regulated. There are too many people running around the business who don’t understand it and that leads to lots of fighters getting screwed”
Like everyone else, LaManna has his own opinion of the continued failed negotiations between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
“They should just be able to come to some kind of fair split when you are talking hundreds of millions of dollars. To me it just looks like two guys making excuses not to fight each other”
“Being from New Jersey, I am big proponent of the State Title. I think it’s a great way to promote and give fighters on the way up an opportunity to fight for a title”
LaManna took matters into his own hands when he and longtime Philadelphia cutman/promoter Joey “Eye” Intreri formed the BAM (Boxing Association of Machismo )
“It’s a title for kids to fight for something, it’s more of a trophy but the winners of these fights get belts and there are no sanction fees. When we feel two guys want to step up in an era when nobody wants to fight each other, we try to reward those fighters”
LaManna, also runs and operates Starwaste Service, which is a large sanitation company in New Jersey