Jermall Charlo-Thomas ’Cornflake’ LaManna fight is off, says LaManna

A bout between former middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo and Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will no longer happen.

LaManna, who had been rumored to face Charlo on the Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach Jnr pay-per-view undercard March 1 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, announced Sunday on his social media account that the fight is off.

LaManna, 33, from Millville, New Jersey, is currently riding an eight-fight win streak, most recently taking a third-round knockout over Juan Carlos Abreu in June.

“As many of you know, I was scheduled to fight Jermall Charlo on the Tank v. Roach undercard March 1st in Brooklyn and I wish today was going to be my announcement date,” LaManna wrote on Instagram. “I have been locked in and training for what would be one of my biggest fights to date against a former unified champion.

“Unfortunately, I was just made aware he will not be ready and the fight will no longer take place on that date.”

Charlo, 34, from Houston, hasn’t fought since a unanimous decision win over Jose Benavidez Jnr in November 2023. Charlo, 33-0 (22 KOs), who has fought only twice since 2020, was stripped of the WBC middleweight belt last January.

No reason was given for the fight unraveling, but LaManna, 38-5-1 (17 KOs), who runs Rising Stars Promotions in addition to fighting, made an allusion to Charlo’s mental health and expressed empathy.

“Whatever he is going through, I actually understand,” LaManna said. “Life and mental health is real.

“He is a great fighter and I hope he gets back on track and we can share the ring in the near future.”

Lucas Ketelle took an unconventional path to boxing, eventually finding his stride in gyms and media. For the past decade, he has hosted the “Lukie Boxing” podcast, filmed training camps for fighters like Arnold Barboza Jnr, Mikey Garcia and Caleb Plant, and worked with top professionals such as Mike Bazzel. Ketelle is also an author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for ProBox TV, BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @LukieBoxing.